Ramblings and Dribbles

by WolfgangNH

This is a posting of ramblings, dribbles, one-shots, unfinished ideas or other stuff I just don't think deserves it's own storyline. Some I plan to finish someday, others are what they are. This is mature reading for some posts. Some items may be well developed, others are not yet, and may never be. There will many different pairings, and sometimes none.

29. When Veela Bond

Rambling and Dribbles: Another dribble that I had to get out of my head.

Concept: Gabrielle is the same age a Harry. Typical start of a veela-lifebond, but grow more organically, not as forced. Being a quarter-veela, the magic is not as strong, but still must be satisfied.

Harry is a little brighter, not as niave.

Updated: 2/27/22

-oOo-

Chapter 1

-oOo-

February 24, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

"Do you have everything," Hermione asked for the fifth time that morning.

"Yes. Will you just relax," he replied, his own nerves rising. "We have tested the potions and I can transfigure my shoes into flippers. Will you stop asking, you are making me more nervous than I already am," he told her.

"I'm just worried," she told him. Harry took her hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"I'll be alright," he assured her.

"Well..." They were interrupted in there conversation by someone clearing their throat. They both looked up from the table to see Professor McGonagall.

"Good evening, Professor," Hermione greeted, though not as warmly as she might have a few months ago. Hermione was feeling a little put out by the professors at the situation Harry was in.

"Good evening, Ms. Granger. Potter. Granger, can I borrow you for a few minutes?" Professor McGonagall asked.

Hermione frowned. "Is this about the tournament?"

McGonagall's eyebrow rose a little. "I am unsure what this is about. The Headmaster has requested to talk to you for a bit."

He set his face into a stoney look. Hermione was right and they were going to use hostages at the bottom of the lake. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a vile and a watch. "Take these," he told her.

Hermione had the same concerned look, but took them without question. She was his best friend, his only friend, and was the only other person he would dearly miss next to Sirius.

"What is that?" McGonagall asked.

"A water gill potion and a watch," Harry told her.

McGongall's lips pursed. "I don't think those will be necessary..."

"You will forgive me if I have little faith in the organizers of this tournament," Harry said over McGonagall. "Remember."

"I will," Hermione said, getting up and hugging him from the back before walking away with McGonagall.

He watched them go out, giving out a sigh. He had six more potion vials for tomorrow. Each should last him about an hour. Hermione had been a little disturbed to find out the potions effectiveness varied upon water temperature, weight and time at depth. The shortest they had timed it at was fifty-three minutes, and was that when Harry had swan close to the mervillage a few days ago. He had to assume that would happen again and was planning to get in and out.

He took out the journal that Hermione had insisted he start this year to keep anything useful that might help him in this blasted tournament. His only disappointment was not asking her to the Ball so far. Not that he liked Hermione that way, but it would have been better than Parvati, who wanted to march him around like some trophy half the night. He danced with her, but was happy not to kiss her at the end of the night.

Said girl was still casting him puppy eyes. Apparently she had thought the night went better than he had.

Personally, Harry didn't really have any feelings like that for anyone, too worried about just surviving.

Looking at the clock over the mantel, Harry saw it was about eight-thirty. Since it was going to be big day tomorrow, he decided to go to bed. Before he did, he checked the small satchel with all his supplied. Six bottle of gilly lungs, a watch that would point towards Hermione's watch, two pairs of muggle flippers, an extra wand, three underwater flares, and some left over gilly weed from brewing the potions. Harry had decided to go with the potion because it would still allow him to breath above the water. The gillyweed was for emergencies.

Harry repacked everything but the watch. As he looked at it, the fourth hand on it turned to point in the direction of the lake. Apparently they were already moving that way and the watch hadn't been taken off Hermione. The third hand moved below the three, indicating Hermione was below him. He really owed Hermione. She had been brilliant in adjusting these watches.

He had a hard time falling asleep that night, visions of the giant squid trying to chase him down and eat him flitting through his his head. At least his scar didn't bother him anymore...

-oOo-

February 25, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry looked out over the lake. Four large towers with a few levels had been setup in the center of the lake. A cold wind was blowing down from the snow capped mountains around them and there was a bit of some chop on the water.

He had come down early to get a lay of the land. The towers must have been floated out there over the night. They had not been there yesterday. There was no sign of the giant squid. He did see a thestral fly over the trees on the far side of the lake. He had been able to see them since the end of his first year. He had thought he was going mental until Hagrid had said there was a herd in the Forbidden Forest.

It was still early, so Harry was surprised when a tall boy with sandy-blonde hair came to stand next to him. "It's still a few hours before it begins," Cedric told him.

"I know. Did they take Cho?"

Cedric frowned. "You don't think they actually put people down there?"

Harry snorted. "What else would you 'sorely miss'?"

"Bugger," Cedric said, his hand running through his hair.

Harry opened his satchel and held out a potion to him. "I'm not sure what you are planning, but this is a water gill potion. Give it to Cho if you need."

Cedric eyed him for a moment. "Isn't that cheating?"

Harry shurgged. "Last I looked at the rules fellow students are able to help you."

Cedric eyed the light blue potion for a moment before taking it. "In case Cho needs it."

Harry nodded. That left him five. He wasn't going to give any more out.

They both turned to hear the crunching of gravel under boots. The Headmaster was walking down to them. "It is a wonderful morning to be taking a walk. I see you both have figured out your clue."

"Yes, professor. Is it true? Have people been taken down into the lake?" Cedric asked.

"I am afraid I can neither confirm nor deny that until the task starts," Dumbledore said.

Harry snorted. "Unless Hermione stayed in the infirmary, I know she was not in Gryfifndor tower this morning."

Dumbledore's eyes gleamed in mirth. "Am I sensing something between you and Ms. Granger?"

"She is my best friend. My only friend," he said, looking back out towards the lake. He missed the furrowed brow of the Headmaster and Cedric's questioning look. "I better go get some breakfast before this farce starts."

"You are still unhappy to be competing in this?" Dumbledore asked.

"That's one way of putting it. I'll see you at ten, Cedric," Harry said to the seventh-year Hufflepuff.

Harry walked up to the school to find the kitchens. He rarely ate in the hall anymore.

-oOo-

The Black Lake...

Harry clutched his side as he sent off another shot of scalding water at a grindylow. The damned things had attacked him after he had swam over a patch of water grass he didn't remember. The watch was taking him in away from where he thought it should.

Two more swam towards him and one of them let out an ear piecing shriek as it was hit by the water stream. The remaining water demons retreated into the grass and Harry took that as a sign to leave as fast as he could.

He was getting to a depth that only the enchanted goggles were allowing him to see. His side burned, but they hadn't practiced andy healing spells, so holding a rag to his side was the best he could do at the moment to keep from bleeding too much.

He let out a sigh when he caught sight of a merman a moment later. That releif ended when the merman raised his trident. A spell shot through the water. It was a nasty looking red spell that bubbled. It was slow enough that the merman was able to dodge it. He pulled back the spear to throw and Harry caught sight of Fleur Delacour.

Harry didn't think about it. She was floundering in the water, a trident lodged in her calf and what looked like two other mermen about to attack. The water gill potion allowed him to mostly talk. As the spear went back, Harry flicked his wand, "Accio trident!"

The trident ripped out of the merman's hand. As it sped through the water towards him, he let go of the spell. The merman turned, a hissing sound coming from its mouth. When it saw him, it backed away. The other two did as well.

Fleur wipped around to Harry, her wand ready to fire. "'Elp! They won't let mee t'rough," Fleur said wild eyed. It was muffled through her bubblehead charm and the water. She looked rather panicked, especially with the blood that was seeping into the water. Her hurt leg was doing nothing to keep her up.

"She is a champion," Harry said as loudly as he could.

"No fire allowed," one of the mermen said.

"Yu' have too. Eet ees my sister," she yelled at them, trying to move in the direction his watch was pointing.

The three mermen moved to block her.

"Let her through," Harry demanded.

Two more swam out of the murky depth, both with tridents and one with a drawn stone knife.

"We did not bargain to let enemy in," the same merman said.

"Eet ees my sister! Let me t'tough!" Fleur spat at them.

Almost half the time was gone now and Harry didn't want a fight. "Ms. Delacour, what if I retreive her and you can take her to the surface. That is if you will not attack her again," Harry said rather firmly to the mermen. They all looked a little apprehensively at him.

"If she comes no closer, we will not attack," the mermen agreed.

"'Arry, eet ees my sister! Maman and Papa told me she was taken from Beauxbatons last night. You must save her," Fleur told him in a panic.

"I will go get her. Wait here," he told Fleur. "Heal your leg."

She blinked, looking down at the gash in it. "Oui," she said, as though just realizing she was hurt.

After glaring at the mermen, Harry swam past them, his side really starting to burn. It was just a moment before he came to the center of the village. The houses looked like caves with cultivated grass beds before each opening. They all let to a large sandy area with three people still floating. Hermione was at the end. Next to her was a girl, about their age, with a more golden blonde hair, but the same features as Fleur. She was in powder blue robes like he usually saw the Beauxbaton girls wearing. The person next to them was already gone, and at the end he saw an older year Ravenclaw he recognized from the Yule Ball. She had been Victor's date.

Not caring that Cedric had made it first, Harry swam to Hermione. "Diffindo!"

The spell cut through the water and Hermione started to float. Harry didn't hesitate to point his wand at the blonde girl's rope. "Diffindo!"

The second the spell left his wand, he heard a disgruntled sound from the merpeople around him. Harry caught the movement. "Protego!" he cried out, his voice echoing in the water. Two of the merpeople crashed head long into the shield.

"You are only allowed one," a larger merman said, swimming towards him.

"I promised Fleur Delacour I would get her sister since you won't allow her into the village," Harry replied. The two mermen that had swam into his shield were shaking their heads, recovering. He noticed several ready their tridents.

"The deal is only one and the girl of fire stays unless the other one of fire retrieves her," the merman said.

"I am taking her," Harry told the merman, who bared his teeth.

"You break the deal," it said. Several other mermen swam closer. Harry's wand was up as he reached for Hermione, pulling her closer to the blonde girl. "The girl is ours."

Harry put a grabbed both Hermione's and Gabrielle's cloaks. "I won't allow harm to come to her." He pulled them close and took a length of rope. "Preafingo." The rope now had them both stuck to him. As soon as that was done, he started to kick for the surface.

He saw the trident and firmly said, "Protego!"

The shield stopped two tridents.

"Aquamenti Adendus!" Both Harry and Hermione had been nervous to use this spell. It shot out a high pressure stream of water that he had used to move relatively quickly. If they were moving mostly level or slowly up an down, it shouldn't be an issue, but he was sure he was more than a hundred meters down and Hermione had been concerned if they rise too fast there might be negative results. Harry would just have to hope Madam Pomfrey could counter any depth sickness.

He shot up. The hand holding the girls strained under the sudden drag to their bodies. A few more tridents missed them. Harry had hoped once they lef the village, that would put paid to it. "Bloody hell," he swore to see a dozen or so mermen chasing them. He caught the sight of spell fire in the murky depths. Making a quick decision, he angled his wand away from his destination and shot out towards the lights in the water.

The issue with this spell was that it was a strong spell that too energy to maintain. Harry could already feel the pull on his magic and it had been less than a minute. He poured more into it to stay ahead of the angry mermen.

As he got closer, he saw Delacour fighting four mermen. There was blood in the water from both sides and she looked to be lagging.

"I hope your right about this, Hermione," he muttered. he stopped the water jet and made a circle with his wand tip. "Tonibulla!"

He watched in fascination as a bubble formed at the tip of his wand. It grew quickly and once it was about six inches across, it collapsed in on itself. The thunder bubble spell did what it had said it would. It created a thunderclap like effect that sent out a pressure wave around him.

It stunned him for a second, even though he was supposed to be isolated from the spell. All around him, the pressure wave was so strong that when it hit anyone else, they were suddenly stunned.

Harry shook his head after a moment and looked around. Anyone within about thirty meters were floating listlessly in the water. He watched several stone knives fall from merman hands were were suddenly limp.

"It works," he said, looking at Hermione. His elation was suddenly gone to see bubbles coming from both the girls mouths. That had not been just a few seconds ago. "OH, shite!"

Harry grabbed Hermione, took the potion out of her pocket and swished his wand. "Enervate."

Hermione's eyes suddenly opened and it was panic as she went to breath and swallowed a mouth full of water. Harry jammed the potion to her mouth and squeezed the plactic bottle they had gotten for this. The wax seal broke and she was quickly swallowing it. He reached for his bag and frantically looked for two more potions.

"Harry, why are we still down here," Hermione asked in a panic.

"Wake up Fluer and give her this. I have this one," Harry said in a commanding voice.

Hermione took it and didn't question him, taking off towards the French Champion. They had planned for something like this and she knew what she needed to do. Harry wanted to get out of here. He wasn't sure how long the mermen would be out or if others were coming.

Turning to the girl, his wand swished again. "Enervate."

She woke, her mouth opening wide to take in a deep breath, and she immediately panicked.

"Stop! Stop!" Harry tried to calm her, grabbing for her wrists. She took a look at him and his wand and tried to swim, choking on the water as she did. He couldn't stun her, because he wouldn't be able to get the potion into her. "Bloody hell," he cursed again. Doing the only thing he could think of, he grabbed a wrist, too the potion, squirted it into his mouth and then manhandled her as she started to kick out less. He caught her other wrist finally, pulled her him and as her mouth opend again, he pushed his head in. The second his mouth was over hers, he spit the potion into it.

Her eyes went wide and Harry felt her magic react. He was shot away a good twenty feet before he tumbled over. "Gabrielle!" Fleur yelled, swimming past him. She was moving fast in her panic, but she looked cut up and her leg was still not moving right.

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked, swimming to him.

"Fine," he said, shaking his head. "We have to go," he told them. "You take Fleur."

Hermione nodded. "What are 'ou doing!" Fleur said as Hermione grabbed her arm.

"Leaving," she said. "Tonibulla!"

The water jet shot out of Hermione's wand and they started to go up. "You too," Harry said, taking Gabrielle's arm. A few of the mermen were now starting to move.

"'ho are 'ou," the girl asked.

"Harry Potter." He pointed his wand down as her eyes grew as big as saucers. "Tonibulla!"

They were quickly on their way to the surface. She managed to wrap both her arms around his waist, letting his focus on the water jet. After all the fighting, he was starting to feel drained, his side was starting to pulse with pain, so when the light of the day could be seen, he felt that everything was going to be good.

He was Harry Potter though, when did things ever really go his way?

" 'arry ! Chercher!" Gabrielle suddenly yelled out.

He wasn't sure what possessed him, but he twirled. A burning sensation ripped from the center of her back and over his left shoulder. Gabrielle scream, which hurt his ears as the shrill sound cut through the water. He spun sideways, Gabrielle trying to hold on for dear life. He saw the four mermen charging towards them. As tired as he was coming to be from holding the water jet, he moved his wand in a perfect circle, just barely a second before another trident was slung through the water. "Protego!"

The turbulence from his now ended water jet deflected the trident so it caught the edge of the shield by the girls feet. She screamed out again. Seeing that none of them had any more tridents, Harry dropped the shield. "Let go! Swim to the surface," Harry ordered, bringing his wand up. "Diffindo!"

The cutting curse sailed towards the mermen. It was one of the few Hermione and him had found that had any real distance in water. They easily dodged it and he pushed Gabrielle up as he cast two more cutting curses. Professor Sprout would probably be horrified to know a spell she had taught them in first year to prune plants was being used like this. At the moment, Harry didn't care to see the stone knives and angry faces. Gabrielle started to swim away.

The mermen were too fast and he didn't think they would get away. "Aquamenti calida!" He put as much power as he could into the spell. A jet of scauldig water shot out. He spun it in an arc as the first of the mermen reached him. There was a Merlin-be-awful screech as one of them too the scaulding water to his face. Harry just had time to see it reaching its hand up as he brought over to the next one. He caught it across the arm and chest. Angry bubbled formed under its scaly skin almost immediately. It screeched as it suddenly turned away and swan towards the depths.

He wasn't fast enough to stop the third mermen, who came in and slapped its strong tail fin into his chest. Harry felt a searing pain as his wand jerked in. He tried to hold the spell, which caught the last one int he tail as it tried to do the same thing. That was when the pain hit his neck. The potion was running its course and he was loosing his gills. A stone knife flashed before his face and he thought he was going to die.

Harry looked up to make sure Gabrielle had gotten away. That was when the white, half-moon blade of a cutting curse sped past him. It was followed by a red spell that could only be a stunner. There was a screech. Harry was able to turn to see the forearm of the merman fall off. Blood was in the water. Harry grabbed his throat. He was having a hard time breathing the water. His lungs were feeling like they were filling with water, which just added to burning in his chest from the brutal attach he had just received.

He looked up, wanting to be above the surface, only to realize he was further from the surface now. Gabrielle was floating as he saw Hermione and Fluer swimming towards him. The pain in his throat stopped. His lungs were full of the water he was just breathing and his body was starting to convulse as he struggled to breath, both from the water in his lungs and the pain in his chest.

"Hold on, Harry," a panicked Hermione screamed to him. His vision was blacking out as they reached him. His last conscious thought was that of Hermione jamming the last potion in his bag into his mouth...

-oOo-

In the hospital wing...

It had been a panic as she tried to get Harry back to the towers. Harry was looking pale, there was blood coming from multiple wounds and she wasn't sure he mermen wouldn't try to attack them again. Fleur Delacour was starting to lag and her sister was trying to help them. Hermione was too tired to try the water jet spell again. They had only made it halfway back when three wizards on brooms were suddenly over them.

"Stop splashing, we'll levitate you," one of them ordered.

Only the adrenaline of the situation was keeping her from realizing how much magic she had used to get the Beauxbatons champion to the surface, and then she had to get to Harry again, not realizing they had been separated.

She clung to him as they made it to the platform. Her best friend looked to be dieing in her arms and she wouldn't let anyone near until Madam Pomfrey was suddenly at her side. She backed up enough the matron to start casting. Soon she was pulling potions out of a bag, banishing them directly to Harry's stomach, and then started to work on the multiple gashed on his body.

"You should warm up," a woman in lime green robes said, putting a blanket around her. She hadn't realized she was shivering, of that her wand was still in her hand, her knuckles white with how tight she was holding it.

"Will he be alright?" Harry had to be alright.

"Mr. Potter should be fine in a short bit. Though he won't be swimming for a few days," the woman tried to joke. Hermione let out a pained sob as she fell to the deck of the stands. "Here, now, has anyone looked you over?"

Hermione just watched Harry as Madam Pomfrey tended to him.

After a few moments, the French champion and the girl with her came over, allowed to approach by the people keeping everyone else away. "Ms. Delacour, you really should go to the hospital."

"I weel go when Monsieur Potter goes," Fluer retorted.

Fleur had her arm around the other girls back, who put the question out there. "Will 'e survive?"

Hermione let out a bigger sob as she finally realized what was going on. The younger of the two girls dropped down. "I did not mean..."

She trailed off as Hermione put her face in her hands.

"'e saved moi," the girl said.

"He saved us all," Hermione said. This wasn't the first time Harry had saved her.

It was another few moments before the matron knelt back. She looked tired. "Potter will live. Marcy, can you conjour a pallet for him? I want him to the hospital as soon as possible. Has everyone else been checked?" she asked the woman in lime green robes.

"Ms. Delacour still needs treatment, but she had been refusing further until she knew Mr. Potter would be alright. Will allow us to heal you now?"

"Oui," Fleur said, sagging and just being caught by the woman. Madam Pomfrey rushed to her feet and they were soon working on partially healed wounds. She was not as bad as Harry, but she was cut up.

"Where ees my daughters!" an angry woman yelled. "You weel let me by!"

"Maman," the girl next to her cried out and took off towards a woman with hair that was closer the Fleur's. Hermione watched them hug and turned back to Harry, moving closer and putting her blanket over him. She was still shivering, but he shouldn't be in the cold. As she looked at her best friends, she felt a pit in her stomach. She had almost lost him again. Taking his hand, she held it tight.

Hermione loved Harry. Looking at him, it felt much more like she thought she might love a brother. Lavender had been wrong. She had no desire for Harry except to see him safe and whole.

"Where is Mr. Potter and Ms. Delacour? We must know what happened down there," the voice of the Headmaster said.

The woman with the other blonde girl bristled at his voice. "You stay away! You kidnap my daughter, then place her in the midst of our greatest enemy! I should blast you right now," the woman said angrily. Hermione turned, her wand coming out of her pocket as a fight broke between the Headmaster, a few Ministry officials and a shorter man with dark hair, but obviously with the French woman.

-oOo-

February 25, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

"You know, I think we just need to put a name on this bed. You are in here often enough," Hermione said in a strained voice.

Harry's laugh was equally as dark. "Don't let Fred and George here you say that."

She smiled. "Only if you can stay out of here for more than a day."

He sighed. There was a moment of silence between them. It was a heavy silence. "What happened after you came back for me?"

Hermione looked concerned. "They still haven't found Cedric or Cho. The merpeople won't even talk with Dumbledore or anyone from the Ministry."

"Bloody hell," Harry said, rubbing the back of his head.

"Dumbledore said he put monitoring charms on you all and he says they are both still alive, but we just don't know where," she added, sounding as though she was hoping he would feel better about it.

"That's good," Harry replied.

He looked down the hospital ward. There was a set of curtains. "How is Fleur?" He nodded towards the curtains.

"I heard Madam Pomfrey talking with her parents. It sounds like she was suffering from hypothermia, some blood loss and magical exhaustion. She is probably still sleeping," she informed him.

"And her sister? Gabrielle?"

Hermione snorted. "She is fine. The issue there is that it sounds like the organizers took her from Beauxbatons without her parents knowledge. They are irate at what happened and the task. I'm not certain, but it sounds like veela or anyone related to them are mortal enemies of merfolk."

Harry snorted as well. "I never noticed," he deadpanned.

"Yes, quite," Hermione said with pursed lips. "The Daily Prophet said this might cause an international issue. Apparently their father is really high up in the French Ministry and is threatening charges against Dumbledore and others. Even Madam Maxime because she had no right to act as Gabrielle's guardian like that. She didn't even have her wand from what I understood, though my French is totally the best yet."

Harry pursed his lips. "Maybe this will make them cancel the rest of the tournament."

"One can hope," Hermione told him.

They stopped talking as the doors to the hospital opened. Harry watched as the blonde girl he had taken out of the village entered the room. A hand of a woman was on the girls back, guiding her in as she looked back, talking in what Harry assumed was French. A shorter man with brown hair and obviously muscular followed her in. Behind them, two men in blue robes took up positions besides the door.

Hermione and him watched them come in. When they saw Harry sitting up, the group paused near the foot of his bed. This allowed him to get a better look at them.

The man was a curled mustache, a face that looked like he worried often, evident by the pinched skin on the side of his eyes. His brown eyes had an intensity and power that Harry didn't want to be on the wrong side of. He carried himself like one used to power and action, but Harry didn't feel like that was a bad thing.

The woman next to him was on the taller side. She had a figure that would catch the eye of any man. Looking closer to her mid twenties, Harry had the feeling the silvery blond was an older sister to Fleur and Gabrielle, except that the woman's beautiful face had a more ageless quality to it. Her blue eyes regarded him in a way that felt hungry, like she was a predator on the prowl. It made him want to reach for his wand. After a moment, she lifted a single eyebrow as though he had done something extremely curious to her.

The girl next to them was definitely the one he had pulled from the bottom of the lake. Her hair was a darker, more golden blond than the woman next to her. Her blue eyes were also darker than the woman. her features were very attractive, and her figure already looking more like the woman than the man with her. Harry thought her to be very cute... well more like beautiful... which was an odd thought. He thought Cho Chang was extremely pretty. This girl made Chang look plain. Her face looked much younger, much closer to the age that he and Hermione were.

After a brief pause, the man moved towards his bed. "Mr. Potter?" the man said in a slightly accented english.

"Yes. Harry Potter," he said, extending his hand.

The man extended his own hand. "Alain Delacour, Mr. Potter. This is my wife, Dame Appoline Delacour, and our younger daughter, Gabrielle." Dame Delacour nodded her head while Gabrielle did a deep curtsy.

"It is nice to meet you, sir. This is Hermione Granger," Harry said, feeling like he should make the introduction.

"We met Mademoiselle Granger yesterday. She had our thanks for helping our daughters. I would also like to thank you, Mr. Potter. From what I understand, you rescued Gabrielle and got her to safety. That is something I can not tell you how thankful I or my wife are." The man squeezed his hand, as though trying to say how he felt.

Harry squeeed back before letting go. "Your daughter, Fleur, asked for my help. I couldn't leave her there after the mermen threatened to keep her."

The man gave a tight smile. "You will never know how grateful we are for you. If she had been allowed to stay, I doubt she would be here today."

Harry flushed a little at the praise. It didn't help that Gabrielle's eyes hadn't left him. She had a look of adoration on her face that made him feel a little uncomfortable, but made his face readden more. "Ah, I just did what I had too."

The man looked into his eyes for a moment. Harry met them, not willing to back down from what ever challenge he say in them. "You did more than most. I would like to talk with your guardians. Can you let them know."

Harry felt a pit form in his stomach. "Ah, I can send a letter to my aunt and uncle, but... ah... they don't really like magic. I think it better that you don't really talk with them."

The man pursed his lips. "I'm sorry, but what witch or wizard doesn't like magic?"

"They are muggle, Monsieur Delacour," Hermione said. "I think it better that you don't talk with them either."

The man looked to her. His lips were pursed. "Who is your magical guardian then?"

"My what?" Harry asked.

"Surely 'ou must 'ave a magical guardian," Dame Delacour said from behind them.

"As far as I know, the Dursley's are my guardians, and I really don't think you should talk with them," Harry said, feeling a little embarrased. Was there something else he didn't know about the magical world?

"I see," Monsier Delacour said. "Let me fing out who your guardian is, then I would like to talk with you more. If you will excuse me, I would like to check in on Fleur."

"Of course," Harry said.

The man nodded. "Thank you again, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger."

He stepped back and his wife and him walked down towards the curtains. Gabrielle stayed back after a questioning look from her mother. They all watched her parents disapear behind the screen before Harry and Hermione looked at Gabrielle. The girl was standing, straight back and looking a little aloof like Fleur usually did. The only thing that gave away her nervousness was her wringing hands. "Hi," Hermione said. "I'm glad to see you feeling better today."

"Oui. Thank you," Gabrielle said. "Are you feeling better?"

"Oui," Hermine answered. "Much better."

"Good, non? And you, Monsieur Potter? I was very concerned about you," Gabrielle asked.

"Ah, yeah. Still a little sore, but Madam Pomfrey doesn't think anything will leave a scar," Harry told her, leaving out the 'this time'.

Gabrielle looked very concerned. "That is good. I wish I could thank you for saving me properly. If I had been left down there..." she said, trailing off a little.

"I would never let anyone get hurt if I could help it," Harry told her and he saw the almost hero-worship in her eyes. As pretty as she was, Harry didn't like the way she looked at him. "Is it true...," he started to ask when the doors to the hospital wing busrt open. The French Aurors moved to stop the people as Professor McGonagall called out, "Poppy! We found Diggory and Chang."

The Aurors let them in. A shivering Diggory and Chang were being led in. They were both wrapped in blankets. They both looked worse for wear and a large bandage was on Cedrics upper calf when the blanket opened a little. Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office. The three of them were watching and Gabrielle stepped between the beds to get out of the way of the sudden activity. They all watched inn silence as Cedric and Cho were scanned, given a few potions and then had curtains summoned around them. McGonagall, Dumbledore and Moody were left outside of the curtains.

The Delacours came out of the curtains around Fleur's bed to see what was going on. "Are you okay," her father asked as he came up to Gabrielle. She nodded her head.

Dumnbledore turned to them and his face looked very drawn and tired. Harry had never seen him look like that. Mr. Delacour gave the man a hard look and moved to be between his daughter and the Headmaster."Ah, Harry, it is good to see you awake. Representative Delacour, can you please give me a little time to talk with my student about yesterday?"

"I am unsure I should trust any of you with any student," the man said, his wife stepping up to his side.

Dumbledore gave a tired sigh. "I do not know how many times I can appoligize for this misunderstanding. We were informed we had permission."

"To steal her from her bed? To have her in her night clothes, without a wand? You are only lucky Madam Maxime thought to transfigure her clothed into a Beauxbatons uniform. This is not done..." Mr. Delacour accused hotly.

Dame Delacour put a hand on his arm. "Alain, this is not the place. Take this to the Assemblee and the ICW," his wife said.

The man let out an angry huff. "Very well. There is another matter that must be handled as well. When can you get me in touch with this boy's guardians?" He indicated Harry.

Dumbledore's brow scrunched a little. "I would ask what business you would have with one of my students. I will not allow any of them to be taken without permission."

"But you would my daughter?" Mr. Delacour enquired.

"I will say again, none of the jusdges or organizers were aware that was case. Now, what do you want with Mr. Potter?" Dumbledore asked. He took a breath and the more calm and grandfatherly face Harry was used to came back.

"That is family business. I need to talk to his guardian as soon as possible," the man reiterated.

"I can clear time for you tomorrow. Today is already busy," Dumbledore told the man.

Harry looked very confused. "Wait. What about my aunt and uncle?"

Dumbledore frowned. "I think we should talk about this later, Harry. For now, I will clear an hour or so to talk with you tomorrow, Representative Delacour."

The man narrowed his eyes as Dumbledore. "Are you saying you are this boy's guardian?"

"Can we talk about this about tomorrow?"

"I would know now! What I need to discuss is rather important and I do not trust you right now with any child," the man said.

"Representative Delacour, I assure you that the safety of all my students and those from other schools are my top priority. I don't know how else I can assure you that this was an honest mistake with your youngest daughter," Dumbledore pressed.

"Headmaster, who is my guardian? You and Professor McGonagall were adamant it was my aunt and uncle until we found out about my godfather. Is he my guardian?"

"Harry, will talk about this in a little bit," the Headmaster said a little curtly. "If you are still staying in Hogsmeade, I will send you an owl this afternoon to let you know when I can meet with you tomorrow, Representative Delacour."

Harry looked between the two men.

"I would know his guardian. This business should only be discussed between my family and Monsieur Potter's," the man said.

"That is not possible, right now. I am Harry's representative for now," Dumbledore said.

"You mean you could havve signed my Hogsmeade permission and petitioned to get me out of the Triwizard Tournament!" Harry said hotly.

Dumbledore sighed. "This is not a conversation to have in the middle of the hospital wing."

The man glared at Dumbledore. "Eight in the morning. We shall meet then and you will get me in contact with Monsieur's Potter guardian."

Dumbledore nodded. "I will do what I can, but I am afraid I will not be able to grant your request."

Harry looked to Hermione. "What's going on?"

Hermione shook her head, obviously not understanding it either.

"Eight tomorrow. I shall be here," Mr. Delacour stated. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger, I would like to express my gratitude again. We shall be back later today to see if Fleur is up."

Harry nodded. Gabrielle curtsied to him again. "Thank you, Monsieur Potter. I will look forward to talking to you again," Gabrielle said.

"Yeah, when we talk again," he said. She gave him a small smile and he watched her leave with her parents. Dumbledore looked ready to talk to them when Madam Pomfrey stepped out of the curtains.

"Albus, have you contacted the Diggorys or Changs yet? I would like to talk to them," she said.

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a moment. "Nothing life-threatening, I hope?"

"I won't say anything before current company, but they should come," the matron said.

Dumbledore sighed again. "Very well. Minerva, will you keep an eye on Harry and Ms. Granger? I do not want them leaving and I feel that some Aurors just entered the wards."

"Are they coming back to talk with Potter and Granger?" she asked.

"Possibly. I would ask you to chaperone them. Mr. Diggory and Ms. Chang as well if they wish to talk to them until their parents arrive," Dumbledore told her.

"Albus, are you sure we should have the DMLE involved," Professor Moody asked.

"After what happened yesterday, I fear this is a necessary evil, Alastor. If we don't have the Ministry involved, things may go very bad between us and France," Dumbledore replied.

"I will go meet them then while you get hold of the parents," Moody said.

"Thank you, Alastor," Dumbledore said before walking out.

Professor McGonagall looked at both of them. "You both look much better than yesterday."

Harry rolled his shoulder. The scar across his back itched. "Yeah, fine," Harry replied.

"We feel much better, Professor," Hermione replied, giving him a hard look.

McGonagall pursed her lips. "Good. I would hate to see two of my Lions incapacitated."

"Minerva, can you please call in Poppy and Flitwick," Madam Pomfrey said after sticking her head out again.

"I will use your fire, if you don't mind," Professor McGonagall said.

When they were left in a quiet hospital, Hermione looked to Harry. Harry asked, "What is going on? I thought the Dursley's were my guardians, but Sirius could sign school forms?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I've never heard of a magical guardian," Hermione told him. "Does this mean my parents aren't my guardians?"

Harry shrugged. "No clue."

They sat for a few moments without saying a thing, both lost in their own thoughts. When the silence was broken, Hermione said, "I think you have another fan."

Harry groaned and fell back onto his pillow while Hermione smirked at him.

"She is very pretty," Hermione pointed out.

"Can you just drop it," Harry gripped.

Hermione shook her head. "I saw that look in your eye. You only looked at Cho that way this year."

Harry groaned and put a hand over his face.

-oOo-

-oOo-

A/N: When people speak French, it will be fully italisized. If if is not 'translated', it will be in normal text with a translation at the end of the chapter.

Chapter 2

February 26, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Gabrielle walked besides her papa. Her mother had rushed up to the giant castle about an hour ago when word came down Fleur had woken up. It was now about fifteen minutes before they were do at the Headmaster of Hogwarts office.

"Are you feeling better today?" Papa asked. He had been very quiet all morning, only nodding when maman had run off towards the castle.

She touched her arm, very happy to have her wand back. The cherry wood and veela hair sung to her whenever she held it in her hand. She may not be a full veela, but the blood in her veins called to the power of her heritage. She was also starting to feel her magic settle again. Whatever happened under the lake caused her to lose her control the night after when she had nightmares of being under the lake surface.

Merfolk and anyone of veela-blood were mortal enemies.

The fact that it only settled after seeing Harry yesterday, she was unsure what that meant. Maman and papa had looked at her as they left, but they didn't say anything to her.

"I feel much better, papa. Thank you for bringing me my wand. I felt so defenseless without it," she told him.

"I understand, my little golden bird. Does your body and magic feel better? I noticed you didn't seem as unsettled last night or this morning," he queried.

"I don't feel as though I need to fight anymore," she told him.

He nodded. "I noticed your magic settled after seeing Monsieur Potter was awake. Is there a reason for that?"

Gabrielle tried to fight the flush that wanted to come to her face. Harry Potter was a hero that she had been aware of since she could remember. She had read all the books maman had got her three or four times each. She didn't fully believe everything in the books, but there was usually some truth in fiction. Seeing him fight off the Merfolk and have him rescue her was even better than she had imagined. She still didn't understand what had happened when he had kissed her.

Well, he didn't really kiss her, but his mouth had been on hers and she had felt his tongue a little as he had spit the potion into her mouth. The pulse of her magic was more out of surprise than anything else. Who wouldn't react to suddenly having Harry Potter's mouth over hers? He was a hero, and the lake battle had proven it.

"I don't know, papa," she finally answered as they approached the causeway.

He made a 'hmmph' sound. "When you woke the other night, you were screaming about having to protect Monsieur Potter. Was that becuase of your dream or your magic?"

She felt a little more colour come to her cheeks, and her neck felt a little warm. "I don't know, papa," she said a little lowly.

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "You are not one that is usually indecisive. I know your maman had a talk with you last night."

"She did," Gabrielle said in a non-commital way.

She felt his eyes on her as they reached the courtyard. Due to the cold day, the main doors were closed. "You do understand we will need to test for this?"

She nodded, feeling scared and elated at the same time. "Yes, papa."

When they got to the doors, he had to pull them open. They walked into a large receiving Hall. A large stair case was to their right. The doors to a large hall were open before them. She could see students eating. Some were getting up and heading towards the doors. She looked in, hoping to see the boy that had saved her. Her magic led her eyes to the messy mop of hair. He was sitting at the far right table, talking with a bushy hair girl. There was a flash of jealousy to see them talking.

She didn't mean for it, but a small growl emanated from her throat.

"Come, Gabrielle. We will see him again shortly," her papa said. There was a resigned quality to his voice that she didn't catch. He put a hand on her elbow and led her up the stairs. She had shake her head when she couldn't see him anymore.

The nervous butterflies that had been in her gut when seeing him yesterday were back, making her feel queasy. Her magic wanted her to go back and get that girl away from him. Her mind wanted her to run. "Papa?" she asked a little scared.

"We will find a way to solve this," he told her.

She nodded, and didn't say anything until they were before a gargoyle two floors up. They had had to enter a huge central tower with moving staircases to get to this floor. "Representative Delacour and Gabrielle Delacour to see the Headmaster," her father said to the gargoyle.

They waited a moment before the gargoyle nodded its head and then stepped to the side, revealing a spiral staircase that moved like an escalator. Her father put a hand on her back to guide her to go first. She stepped on a stair and rode it to a landing. Stepping off, she waited for her papa. He knocked on the door and it opened to a room that boggled her.

She had been to Madam Maxime's office a few times, mostly when she needed to leave Beauxbatons for family reasons, and this room was nothing like the very orderly and comfortable office her headmistress maintain. It was cluttered with tables, glass cases, shelves, book cases and small stands. Every one of them were full of books, strange instruments, glass vials, awards and dozens of other trinkets and things she didn't know what they were.

She could see that the office went a few levels behind the large desk of Headmaster Dumbledore. It had stacks of papers and books on both sides, with a large blotter in the center that was cleared. A large golden chair was behind the desk, and in the chair was one of the most venerable wizards the world had known in many years.

Something trilled behind the man and she looked to see a pheonix. Her eyes widened. The trill sent a shiver of power and peace through her. As the veela were creatures of desire and destructive fire, the phoenix was the embodiment of the fire that gave life and rebirth. They were different aspects of the element that gave them both fire.

The aged wizard looked toward the phoenix. "I see Fawkes has a liking for you, Ms. Delacour."

"He is beautiful," she replied, not taking her eyes off the bird. She could see the invisible flames of power it radiated. It was a warmth she liked.

Her papa regarded the aged wizard for a moment. "Yes, my wife has said fire will recognize fire. Those of veela-blood are the compliment of ones such at those that bring life."

"Indeed. That is a fact I was not aware of," Headmaster Dumbledore said.

She wanted to go over and touch the phoenix, her magic wanting to touch something that could teach her magic. She had a sense the phoenix could learn from her fire as well...

"Please, take a seat. Would you like some refreshements," the Headmaster offered.

"I would think that best. This might take a while once Monsieur Potter is here and I can prove you represent him to his best interest," her papa said. "Gabrielle, you should sit."

She nodded, finally taking her eyes off the phoenix. Her father indicated a chair before the man's desk. Her papa made sure she sat before he joined them. While they sat, the Headmaster called for a house elf.

"I was not of the impression that Mr. Potter would be required for this meeting," the Headmaster said.

"I told you yesterday that this is family business, Headmaster. If you are not going to fairly represent Monsieur Potter then I will need to go to your Ministry to request his guardian," her papa told him.

"I am afraid Mr. Potter's true guardian is not available, but I have been given the authority to represent him."

"May I ask how? What needs to be discussed needs to be with a representative or guardian that is capable of accessing the Potter family's magic and make binding magical decisions. Are you blood related?" Her papa was being very serious.

The Headmaster sat back in his chair, his fingers forming a steeple, with the peek resting on his lips. The man looked at her papa for a long moment. "That is not possible at this time."

"Then we have an issue, Headmaster. What I have to discuss with Monsieur Potter is is of great importance and should not be left unattended to for more than a week or so. When can such a member be present?" her papa questioned.

"Until Mr. Potter is of age, I fear he has no representation that can meet your criteria. This business will have to wait until then," the man said.

She felt her heart sink in her chest. Gabrielle didn't think this could wait a few years to resolve. Not after the reaction she felt seeing him in the dinning hall.

"That is unacceptable. Our Bureau de Coopération Magique shall be contacting you and your Ministry in a few hours. This House business cannot wait, and by the accords of the ICW, local law may not interfere in such matters," her papa told the man.

She saw a frown on the Headmaster's face. "I see," he said, hitting his fingers on his chin a few times. "Mr. Potter's true guardian is Sirius Black. As you know, he is a criminal on the run and I have not been able to get the DMLE or the Minister to look at his case. From my research, the man has never received a trial or been convicted."

Her papa took in a sharp breath. She knew that name. He was a mass murder that had betrayed Harry Potter's parents.

"Merde! You cannot be serious," her papa exclaimed.

"It is true. The goblins still recognize the man as the Regent Black, blood relation to Mr. Potter and his magical guardian per his parents. Unless he is convicted, he will remain so. I only have In loco parentus rights over him and cannot access the Potter magic," the Headmaster said.

"But the man is a murderer and traitor," her papa said. She could see his concern. She was feeling even more scared. This feeling she was having had to be confirmed or not, and only the magic of the involved families could prove it or not.

"Things may not always be what they appear, Representative Delacour. Like we thought we had permission to take your younger daughter, it is possible Sirius Black may not be the man everyone thinks they are. Perhaps the French Consulate could ask for proof of his guilt?"

Her father was quiet as he regarded the old man. She looked between them, not really understanding what was being said. She had a sense something important was being said though.

"When the paperwork is presented later today, I shall ask of proof of his guardian from Gringotts, as well as your Ministry. I am sure I can apply some pressure for quick results. Especially with the kidnapping of my daughter," her papa said.

"I think that might make the paperwork move in an efficient manner," the Headmaster said.

Her father nodded. "There is still a matter I would discuss."

The Headmaster indicated for her father to go on.

"Gabrielle should return to Beauxbatons today, but she must remain here and close to Hogwarts until this matter can be resolved. I have talked with Madam Maxime, and it appears most of those Beauxbaton student here are doing a self-study with an owl correspondence or auditing classes here. I would not want Garbrielle to fall behind and would ask if Hogwarts would allow her to audit classes here. I am fully prepared to cover all expenses that might incure," her papa said.

Her eyes went a little wide. Neither of them had talked with her about this. She looked questioningly at her papa, who gave her a hand signal to remain quiet.

"Hogwarts would be very happy to accomodate that request. Perhaps if you want, Ms. Delacour could take a class schedule that matches people she has met already? Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are in the same house and I assume your daughter is a fourth year?" The Headmaster finally looked towards her. She felt a little apprehensive as the way his eyes seemed to look through her for a moment.

"Oui, Headmaster. I am currently in my fourth year," she confirmed.

"That might work well. Will Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger be willing to act as her chaperone for these classes and when needed?"

"I am sure both will accept. As much as Mr. Potter may not always appear to get along with others, he is actually quite kind and helpful, while Ms. Granger is a very bright student and I am sure will offer Ms. Delacour any help she might need with course work," the Headmaster answered her papa.

Her papa nodded his head. "If Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are willing, I would leave Gabrielle here. She will stay with the Beauxbaton students, but be escorted when needed."

"I will summon both of them," the Headmaster said, reaching for a book on the right side of his desk. He opened the book and flipped a few pages. After running his finger down the page. Without a word he took out a parchement from a draw and wrote a notes before he looked up. "Both Ms. Granger and Mr. Potter have a free period until third period. I can summon them now, if that is acceptable?"

"Please."

"Fawkes, would mind taking this to Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger? I am sure they are either in the library or the practice room on the fifth floor," the man said.

With a bow and squawk, the phoenix reached down and took the scrolled note in his beak. She felt her heart speed up as the fire and power flared from the bird. It was a power that she felt drawn too and gasped at the flush it sent through her body to see him flame through a hole his fire produced.

"Are you well, Ms. Delacour?"

"Oui. It's was just the call of the fire," she answered in French without thinking.

The Heasmaster looked questioningly at her papa. "This is the first time she had met a phoenix. My wife has said it can be surprising how much their magics compliment each other."

"I really didn't know of this attachment. It is very fascinating. Would you care to talk about it while we wait?"

"Non. This is something the veela closely guard. I have said all I can," her papa said.

"Understandable, but at times I wonder if so many magical races conflict due to their secrets and misunderstandings?" the Headmaster conjectured.

"Perhaps. They are not my secrets to share." Her papa looked at her to make sure she was well.

Gabrielle shook her head. "I am okay, papa."

"Very interesting," the aged man said.

-oOo-

A little while later...

Harry entered the office with Hermione. They had been in the room McGonagall had allowed him to use, going over the stock of potion ingredients they had collected and trying to understand everything that had happened under the lake. The spells they had identified had worked well, but Harry didn't want to risk it in the final task. He was going to take it easy for the week, but after that, he was going to keep doing as they were. Prepare for everything.

Upon walking into the office, he was surprised to see Mr. Delacour and Gabrielle. She seemed to brighten the second her eyes fell on him. That was before she gave a furtive look to Hermione. He gave the girl a curious look as Hermione and him came to stand next to Mr. Delacour. "Good morning," Hermione greeted everyone in the room. Harry nodded and turned to the Headmaster. "You asked for us, sir?"

"I did, Harry. I trust you remember Representative Delacour and his daughter, Gabrielle?" Dumbledore asked.

"I do. Good morning, Mr. Delacour and Ms. Delacour," he said, holding himself rather stiffly. The girl was looking at him in a way that made him uncomfortable. It wasn't a bad uncomfortable, but he had just never seen anyone so beautiful giving him eyes like that.

"Good morning, Mr. Potter. It is a pleasure to see you and Ms. Granger."

Hermione nodded and Harry just returned a smile. "Is this about that business you wanted to talk to me about yesterday?"

"It is nothing like that, my boy. Representative Delacour has decided that it would be useful for Ms. Delacour to stay in Scotland for a while. I have offered her the opportunity to audit our classes and would hope you and Ms. Granger would be kind enough to show her around and have her take classes with you both?" Dumbledore requested.

Hermione's eyes lit up. "Oh, really? What classes are you taking? Between Harry and I we can take you to almost any class in the school. We both take the basics, along with Care of Magical Creatures. Harry doesn't take Arithmancy or Runes, but you can come with me to those classes. If you take Muggle Studies or Divination, we can find someone to go with you," Hermione said at a fast clip.

Mr. Delacour looked amused at the girl. Gabrielle looked surprised. When she spoke, Harry found he liked her French accent, and that she could speak English about as well as her father. "I do not know what the basics are at 'Ogwarts. At Beauxbatons we take potions, charms, transfiguration, arithmancy and ancient runes as our core subjects. I have also been studying Latin, Goobledegook, Ancient History and Magics and arts," Gabrielle replied.

"Oh, they offer Latin and Goobbledegook? What do you do in Ancient History and Magics? I am unsure if Hogwarts has anything like that," Hermione said.

"You are telling me that Hogwarts does not offer the main languages of the most prominent magical races?" Mr. Delacour asked.

"Hogwarts is not as large of a school as Beauxbatons. Most skills like that are taught under apprenticeships after graduation. Though, you may be able to talk with out Charms Master, Professor Flitwick. I understand he knows the goblin language, and our Ancient Runes instructor, Professor Babbling, is a crack at Latin. As far as what is offered for Ancient History and Magics, as well as Arts, I would need a syllabus or for Madam Maxime to explain the classes before I could offer any advise," Dumbledore said.

Harry was watching Gabrielle. She frowned at all this. "But Papa, I take all those classes atleast twice a week and we were just about to learn how to work with basaltic glass."

"We will find a way to work this out. If everything else works out, you can return to Beauxbatons in a few weeks," Mr. Delacour said.

"I would like to know too, sir. What do you mean you are about to work with basaltic glass?" Hermione asked, looking excited.

"In the Magical Arts, it is best to work with natural and uncojured objects. Like paints, pencils or natural minerals and organics. The spring term was to focus on basaltic glass and marble. I very much enjoy sculpting," Gabrielle replied.

"That would be brilliant to have something like that here," Harry said. He may never had much time to enjoy arts and crafts, but he did really enjoy it when they did it in primary school.

Dumbledore and everyone looked towards him. "What? It would be something else to do than read, play chess or quidditch when we have nothing else to do," Harry said defensively.

"Indeed. Perhaps Hogwarts has fallen a little behind in its cirriculum," Dumbledore said, giving him a curious look.

"Is that all you do around here? There is no theatres, clubs or other events?" Gabrielle asked, looking like she was not enjoying her decision to stay.

"You go to watch movies?" Hermione enquired.

At the confused look on Gabrielle's face, Mr. Delacour said, "Non. I teach my daughter more than most about the non-magiques, but it is not really safe for them to remain outside our wizarding enclaves for long. There is a small magical thearter that often puts on plays or musicals in the town near Beauxbatons, and two in Paris we often visit. There are other more exciting things than we have seen in Hogsmeade in the last few days."

Harry saw the dissapointment in Gabrielle's face.

Hermione looked flabbergasted. "Really? I thought only muggles were that cultural. I mean, not that wizards aren't," she tried to cover as the Headmaster chuckled.

"I am starting to understand why Madam Maxime and her students have been less than impressed with the foremost magical school in Britain. It would seam Beauxbatons is far more cosmopolitan than I remember," Dumbledore said. "Be that as it may, it is getting close to nine and I do believe you have Ancient Runes at 10:30 for third period, Ms. Granger."

"Yes, sir, I do."

"If you are amenable, Representative Delacour, perhaps Gabrielle can get her supplies and Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger can give her a quick tour before that class?" Dumbledore offered. Harry wasn't sure he had agreed to this yet, but he did find himself intrigued by the girl. More intrigued than anyone he had met at Hogwarts so far.

"If Ms. Granger would not mind allowing Gabrielle to share her course work today, I need to retrieve Gabrielle's possessions from Beauxbatons. I should be able to bring them to her tomorrow," Mr. Delacour said.

"We can lend her anything she needs for now, right Harry?"

"Oh, sure," he said.

"I think that settled then," the Headmaster said, indicating the meeting was over.

Gabrielle and her father had a quick conversation in French before they stood up. "Monsiour Potter, are you willing to accept responsibility for Gabrielle until I return? I must get to my consulate rather quickly. Soon I would like to have that conversation I mentioned."

"I give my word Ms. Delacour will be safe with us," Harry told him.

With a nod of approval, Harry soon found himself with Hermione and Gabrielle as they were walking towards the main stairwell. "So, you know where Professor Dumbledore's office is. On the same floor, just around the bend, are the Defence Against the Dark Arts classrooms. We have that class tomorrow afternoon. I know you aren't taking that course, but Professor Moody is rather a good teacher and we are going over stunning spells and shields right now."

Gabrielle looked around as they walked. He noticed her noting the paintings, carvings and suits of armour. As they walked back into the main stairwell, Harry put out an arm to stop her as he noticed the stairs starting to move. His hand splayed across her stomach. There was an odd swooping sensation to feel her flat stomach under her Beauxbatons uniform. Gabrielle stopped, her eyes wide again.

"Of course, when the stairs do this, you either have to wait for them to come back or choose a different route," Hermione stated, as though not realizing that Harry had just kept the blond girl from walking onto the moving stairs. "We can go up to the fourth floor or circle back to the stairs next to the DADA rooms."

Harry quickly took his hand away, unsure of this feeling in him. Gabrielle's dark blue eyes met his.

"What do you think, Harry? There really isn't anything much but empty classrooms on the fourth floor," Hermione asked.

"Ah, not really. Only the portrait to Gryffindor," he said.

"Is that the dorms you stay in," Gabrielle asked.

"It is our house. There are four housed here," Hermione started to explain. Gabrielle was still looking at him.

"It's a nice place. You want to go see?" Harry offered.

"Oui," Gabrielle said.

Harry gave her a small smile. "C'mon," he said with a nod towards the stairs that lead to the Fat Ladies portrait.

Hermione was still going on about the houses and quickly moved to catch up to them. "Where are you going?"

"The common room," Harry told her.

Hermione scrunched her brow. "Are we allowed to take others into the house?"

"Fred and George have taken some people in without getting into trouble," Harry replied.

"You do not, ah, intermingle with others here?" Gabrielle looked honestly confused at that.

"Ah, not really. We all have out houses. Most of our best freinds come from the same house. Some of us, ah, don't get along well either," Harry told her.

"Well, it's hard to make friends in other houses if they are always so snooty or mean to you," Hermione stated.

"Yeah, that too," Harry agreed.

"Why would they not like you? You are Harry Potter," she enquired.

Harry gave a dark chuckle as they stopped on the landing with the Fat Lady. "Yeah, that's the problem. I'm Harry Potter."

"If they just took the time to get to know you, I think most would realize you aren't a bad person," Hermione said irritated.

"I same the about you. Ursa Minor," Harry stated and the portrait opened. "Ladies first," Harry flourished his hand, uncertain why we was acting like this all of a sudden.

Hermione gave him a look, but Gabrielle just smiled at him and walked past him into Gryffindor house. He motioned for Hernione to go through too. The look she gave him said they were going to talk about something later. Gabrielle stopped and looked around the room with wonder. He smiled to see her eyes light up at the sight of the common room.

Being still early in the day, and with many in classes or elsewhere, there was only a handful of students around, most with open books at tables as they revised or worked on reports. A few looked up and there was something that stirred something in Harry to see a few boys look at Gabrielle. As first it was shock, and then it was more like the needy, half-vacant expressions they often gave her sister. Gabrielle didn't seem to notice at first as she looked round the common room. Harry did and he felt an urge to protect her. He had promised her father he would.

"Tres magnifique," she said after a moment. "There are not dorms like this at Beauxbatons, and this looks far more comfortable than the stuffy lounges we have."

Harry laughed at her. "I find it like home too. Well, I did."

Both girls looked at him. Harry didn't hear the longing in his own voice.

"You are not 'appy here?"

Harry shrugged in response to Gabriellle's question.

Hermione frowned. "Things are not always easy for Harry."

"Well, I have you. That makes it worth it," Harry said easily, his eyes focusing on Cormac McLaggen, who had just gotten up and was walking towards them.

Harry didn't see that Gabrielle did not look pleased, and even less so with how Harry complimented Hermione.

"Hey, Potter. Who's the bird?" McLaggen asked.

Gabrielle turned to McLaggen, something half feral in her eyes. "Bird? Did you just call me a bird?"

"Yeah. A really pretty one too. Cormac McLaggen. And you are?" the boy asked cockily, his eyes slipping down her body.

Harry balled his fists. "This is Gabrielle Delacour, sister of the champion from Beauxbatons," Harry said, his voice a little cold. "We are showing her around today."

"Really? I would figure a girl like you would want a real man to show you around. How about it? This weekend I can take you into Hogsmeade. Maybe show you Madam Puddifoots and a good time?" The smile he gave Gabrielle had a cold shiver go down Harry's spine. It felt like he was undressing her with his eyes.

Gabrielle stuck her nose up in the air. "I think I can tell who is a boy and who is a man. Until you prove you fought off a dozen mermen or something similar, I only see a boy before me."

McLaggen laughed, unaffected by the insult. "Don't let Potter's legend get to you. I can assure you he isn't that great. Now me, I'm going to be the Keeper for Gryffindor next year and I already have proven myself. Have you ever hunted a hinkypunk?"

"I have bested a dragon and taken on more than a dozen mermen," Harry found himself boasting. It was very uncharacteristic of him, but McLaggen was annoying him.

McLaggen looked at him and his cocky expression fell some. Harry felt his ire grow and McLaggen suddenly raised his hand. "Easy there, Potter. No reason to let all the stories go to your head."

"I assure you, they are not all stories," Gabrielle said rather defensively. "Now leave me alone, little boy."

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. She was definitely Fleur's sister, and McLaggen was definitely not a little boy. He easily had two or three stone weight and several inches on Harry. But when McLaggen looked to Harry again, he took a step back. "Sure. Once you are done with this little boy I'll be waiting for you," McLaggen said.

"I was not calling Monsieur Potter a little boy. He is more man that it looks like you will ever be. Can we go see something else," Gabrielle said, turning back towards him and Hermione.

"Yeah. Harry, you coming?" Hermione said.

"Leave her alone, McLaggen. Mr. Delacour has asked me to escort her around, just to warn you," Harry told the older boy.

McLaggen gave him a curled lip for a moment. "She'll get tired of you soon. Until then," McLaggen said. He turned and walked back towards his table. A few people around the room were sniggering at McLaggen and giving and Gabrielle appreciative looks. It would figure that one of the largest asses in Gryffindor would be here right now.

Harry turned and followed the girls out.

"Who is that?" Gabrielle asked once he joined them outside the portrait hole.

"Cormac McLaggen. He's harmless but a jerk. Harry and I will keep him away from you," Hermione said rather fiercely.

"I'm not sure he is as harmless as you think. I didn't like the way he was looking you," he said first to Hermione, and then to Gabrielle.

Gabrielle moved in a little closer, wrapping an arm around his. "Well, I will just have to stay closer to my escorts. Non?"

"No?" Harry asked, feeling confused as she seemed to be doing the opposite.

Hermione chuckled. "Harry, I think she was saying she was going to stay closer to us."

"Oui. You have already saved me twice. What is the English saying? Three times is a charm?" Gabrielle said with a smirk, her ire from a moment ago dissipating.

"Sure," he said, feeling a heat run through him as how she held his arm. He could definitely feel the curves of her chest against his upper arm. Harry had never had anyone do that before. His normal reaction would be to pull away, but he found he liked her pressed into his him.

Hermione gave them a questioning look.

"Right. Lets head down some. I don't want to be late for Ancient Runes," Hermione told them.

-oOo-

At dinner that night...

"Gabrielle!" Fleur exclaimed as she caught sight of Gabrielle in the entry hall. Gabrielle left her escorts to rush to her sister.

She had not been up to see her sister yet, having spent her whole day with Hermione and Harry. "Good to see you are not being lazy anymore," she teased as she gave her sister a hug. She could only be this open with her family, though it had been nice with her new friends today. Harry did not appear to be affected by her, unlike others they had met today.

Fleur hit the back of her head. "I was not being lazy. Are you alright? His Harry Potter well? He was out of the hospital when I woke up this morning."

Gabrielle blushed a little as she pulled back. "Harry is quiet well. Papa has asked him to escort me around and he has agreed. I am staying for a few weeks."

Fleur gave her a questioning look. "Why are you staying? You should not be here and go back to Beauxbatons. It was already dangerous enough for you to be here."

Gabrielle looked a little abashed. "Papa and maman think something happened. Harry saved me," she said in a little more than a whisper.

Understanding lit in Fleur's eyes. "Are you saying he did more than just rescue you from the mermen?"

"You were there. You saw them try to kill us," Gabrielle shot back.

"Merde!" Fleur said, looking up over her shoulder. "Has it been confirmed?"

"Non. His guardian is not available at the moment. Papa is working on it," Gabrielle replied.

Fleur nodded. "Right. How do you feel?"

"Like I wanted to rip a few heads off today when I saw some girls look at him," Gabrielle answered, some of her ire coming out.

"Calm yourself, Gabrielle. Where is Harry now?"

Gabrielle looked around, "They must have gone into the great hall."

Fleur took her arm. "Tonight we shall sit he him. I have not really gotten to know him and he saved you without question."

"I heard you were not as kind to him and called him a little boy," Gabrielle said a little angrily.

"He is a little boy," her sister said a little haughtily. "Just as you are still a little girl."

"I am not! I am fourteen and will be fifteen in April," Gabrielle replied angrily.

"You are still my little sister and always will be."

"Merde, Fleur. Can you not be annoying for once?"

Her sister gave a tinkling laugh. "I find you far more annoying."

-oOo-

February 26, 1995

London, England

"Thank you for seeing me today," Alain said, reaching over to shake the hand of the man across from him. Head Bartemius crouch was a fastideous man with prefectly pressed lapels and lines in the suit he wore under his robes. His mustache was groomed and his hair slicked back. His face showed that he was a shrewd man that didn't like things out of place.

"I feel I had no choice, Representative Delacour. I hear you have solicitors already swarming the DMLE and Minister Fudge would like to see if we can smooth over this incedent before there is any more negative media on the Continent," the man replied.

"Ah, a man that likes to to get to the point," Alain said with a harsh smile.

"I find platitudes and niceties only prolong and can sometimes muddy the waters on serious situations like this," Head Crouch replied.

"You mean the kidnapping of a girl of the French Assemblee from a school she was not to leave without her parents leave? To make it worse, she was stolen from her bed, without her wand and still in her night clothes," he said. He knew Gabrielle didn't like heavy night clothes and often only slept in light shorts and a shirt, or only a long shirt. he doubted she was presentable when she showed up in Scotland.

"Yes, that was not the intent. We were told she had been informed and given permission," the man countered.

"I have been told and have already stated she did not," Alain said back, his anger obvious in his voice.

"Yes. What is done is done. I can not take back the past, put I can work with you and the French Ministry to resolve this. I will personally ensure she will not be taken again this year," Crouch vowed.

"No, she shall not," he agreed.

"With your daughter Gabrielle being safely returned to Beauxbatons, is it possible to have the international charges dropped and the Ministry can offer compensation for your distress?"

"I am afraid not, Head Crouch. My daughter and I have some personal business now that must be addressed before my youngest daughter can leave. This is something that you might be able to help me with," Alain said.

Crouch's eyes narrowed. "I do not recall any requests for papers to allow this?"

"They were presented to your ministry yesterday. There was also a request for other information that disturbs me some," Alain said, putting a folder down on the desk.

Crouch looked down and the widening of his eyes and and anger flashed across his face. "What is this?"

Alain sat back in his chair. "The arrest file and order to send Regent Black to Azkaban with no trial, questioning or other legal recourse. He hasn't even been charged with a crime."

"Impossible. I was in charge of the DMLE at the time. Sirius Black confessed and he was convicted," Crouch just about spat.

"Then were are the records? Why would the gobins of Gringotts still recognize him as the Head of House Black? More importantly, why would your own records in your archive show the man as the sworn godfather and magical guardian of one Harry Potter?" Alain asked.

Crouch opened his mouth a few times, his eyes bulging. After a moment, the man said, "He is guilty."

"Of what, monsieur? There are not charges and no trial scripts. And unless things work differrently in Britain than in France, a sworn godfather should not be able to willingly harm a godchild. I think you need to ask your Minister and DMLE to investigate this before the ICW officers come to question and possibly arrest everyone responsible for kidnapping my daughter. If this is resolved by next week, I might consider dropping the charges," Alain said in a non-chalant tone.

"But... but... I heard him confess. He said he killed them," Crouch said in a small voice.

"Perhaps, but where is your evidence and where is the trial? I would like this resolved by next Friday at the latest. Good day, monsieur," Alain said as he stood up.

He heard Crouch say, "He is guilty," but didn't sound as convinced.

-oOo-

-oOo-

Chapter 3

-oOo-

February 28, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Since the second task, and especially now that Gabrielle Delacour, and even Fleur Delacour, were sitting with them many meals, Harry and Hermione were finding themselves the center of renewed attention.

Harry hated attention.

Especially when it was the type that brought jealous or hostile looked from many around them. Girls looked at him in ways that made him uncomfortable. In the last two days alone, he had had six invitations into Hogsmeade the coming weekend. All of which he had turned down, considering three of them had been girls he had seen wearing those pins earlier this year. Their was no way he was going to go near Susan Bones or Hannah Abbot after how they had treated him over the years.

The others just seemed to like him because of how well he was doing. He could see the same glint in their eyes that he saw when Ginny looked at him. Gabrielle may not look at him much differently at times, but she at least talked to him like he was a real person and she had not once referred to him by his most hated moniker. Both of those set her above the brainless twats that still believed those stupid books about him.

Then there were the boys. Gabrielle came into the Great Hall with the other Beauxbaton students and split away to sit with them. Many boys in the hall turned to look at her. It was almost an equal split between her and Fleur. Most boys looked at her like they wanted her. After Harry had faced off against an upper year Ravenclaw that had insisted he take Gabrielle out to Hogsmeade this weekend, she was mostly being left alone.

It was after that one that Hermione had said his eyes almost glowed whenever he stood up for Gabrielle. This had surprised and worried him a little.

"Bonjour Harry. Comment vas-tu aujourd'hui?" Gabrielle asked as she sat across from him. Her blonde hair was in a long plait today and her dark blue eyes looked full of mirth.

Her looked to Hermione to understand what she had just said. "Gabrielle was just saying hello and wondering how you were feeling. You really should learn French."

"Oh. Hi," he responded.

Gabrielle giggled. "You can say bonjour. Or salut if you think I am more of a friend."

"Salut Garbrielle," he said.

"Close enough. We shal work on your French," Gabrielle said with some determination.

"You can be a little pushy at times," Harry said back.

"Oui, but only to those I think worth my time," she replied.

"Not like those boys you have rejected so far?" Hermione teased, making Harry's neck feel a little warm.

"They are boys. I only like to deal with those that are not," Gabrielle said, putting her nose up.

Hermione chuckled as he shook his head. "Then I don't know why I agreed to escort you."

"Becuase you are Harry, and you would not see me harmed after pulling me out of the lake," she said confidently. Harry was finding he was liking her French accent more and more.

"I guess that is a a good reason," he said back.

Before any of them could say another word, a boy in yellow and black sat down. Harry immediately glared at the boy. "Hi, my name is Robert Quincy. I heard you are the sister to Fleur Delacour."

"Get lost," Harry said. The boy brushed him off.

Gabrielle looked at the boy with a distinct dislike. "Excuse me. I was talking with my friends," Gabrielle said.

"But I am so much more interesting. I am working on solving the portkey barrier that would allow us to make portkeys that could go more than a thousand miles. Professor Babbling things I will resolve this year. As a sixth year, mind you," the boy said importantly.

Harry got up, and Hermione grabbed his arm.

Gabrielle turned her full attention on the boy. "You would have me believe that you are about to solve an arithmancy problem that has been studies by some of the brightest witches in the last few hundred and you think you can solve it before you even get into the advanced non-magique integration of calculus that most of the top researchers are using right now? Unless the talk I had with Professor Babbling yesterday was lieing about what her cirriculum was," she said in such a disdainful voice that even Harry felt her disgust.

"Well, you know, that isn't really neccessary. All you need is the simple formulatic approach," the boy said, not sounding as cocky.

Gabrielle sniffed. "And you think you will succeed when hundreds before you, many I think are brighter than you ever will be, failed?"

"Of course," the boy said.

Gabrielle sniffed again. "When you solve it, come back. Until then, stay away."

"But..."

Harry spoke up. "You heard her. Stay away, or I will make you."

There was something in his voice that made the boy finally look at him. Harry was ready to draw his wand. The boy leaned back. "Ah, sure," he said after a moment, getting up and quickly retreating.

"Harry, sit and eat. I want to go to the library before we go to transfiguration," Hermione said.

Gabrielle huffed. "Fleur always said it was like this as I get older, but it is worse here."

"I can go take care of him, if you want," Harry offered. Gabrielle turned to him, her dark blues eyes looking satisfied.

"I think you did enough," Hermione told him.

Gabrielle gave a little smile before turning to her plate. Harry shook his head. "I didn't mean to be like that."

"I think it sweet," Gabrielle commented.

"He gets into enough trouble. You don't need to encourage him," Hermione said to Gabrielle, who just made a small shrug.

"I still think it sweet. That boy was all wind. I have no doubt Harry could make true his words," Gabrielle said.

Harry felt embarrassed, but a little smug too. It was a mix of emotions he was not used too.

When they left the Great Hall, Harry didn't miss the way they were followed. He had thought after more than three and a half years of being the center of attention, whether it was out of fear or awe, he would not let it bother him. Today, it bothered him as he really noticed how Gabrielle, and Fleur, were looked at.

They made their way to the library, where Hermione worked on Ancient Runes with Gabrielle as he purused the Restricted section for more spells that would help him survive the last task. It irked him that he kept sneaking glances at the pretty blonde girl in her Beauxbaton uniform. It highlighted the female form better than the Hogwarts' uniform, and he liked her black stocking clad legs as she bounced the foot of the one crossed over the other.

At one point, she looked up, catching his eye and he had to look away before he appreciated how the blouse stretched too much in her unbuttoned jacket. She looked like she might be able to rival Lavender Brown's chest, but in a slimmer frame.

The day didn't get much better when they escorted her to Transfiguration.

Gabrielle sat net to him. Hermione took the table to his right, sitting with Neville, who had been the only other one to treat him normally and at least say he believed Harry before the first task. In Harry's anger at being included and at how almost the entire rest of the school was treating him, Harry had snapped at the boy and probably cost himself the last chance at a friendship he might had had with Neville.

Harry tried to ignore his former best mate when Ron sat before them. The second his eyes had seen Gabrielle, they took on that look they often did when he looked at Fleur. Harry gave Ron a scathing look before turning to his bag to get his homework and notebook out. Hermione had finally convinced him that getting the more expensive journal like parchment books made taking notes easier. The expensive fountain pen had also been worth it. His writing was so much neater without using a quill.

Gabrielle seemed to catch the interaction, especially when Ron turned around with a grin on his face. Dean had sat down next to him and just shock his head as he gave Harry and Gabrielle a look that said 'sorry about what is going to happen'.

"Hi, are you new here?" Ron asked, his eyes taking her in.

Gabrielle stiffened and put her chin up, just like she always seemed to do when someone looked at her like that. "I am auditing this class. I plan to return to Beauxbatons in a few weeks."

"Wicked. I thought I recognized you the second task. That was you that came out of the lake, right?"

"Oui," she responded, not sounding particularly happy about it.

"Right, maybe Harry hasn't said it yet, but I'm Ronald Weasley. Harry's best friend."

"Ex-best mate," Harry corrected.

"I said I'm sorry and you said it was alright," Ron blustered.

"You didn't exactly appologize and I said we could coexeist," Harry replied.

"Anyways, I've been best friends with the Boy-Who-Lives for years. You can't believe what we have gotten up too," Ron started.

"Ronald," Hermione missed from next to him.

"Oh, come off it, Hermione. It's not like most of the school doesn't know what I have done with you and Harry," Ron retorted.

"Actually, they don't. They know the rumors," Harry said, his voice holding danger.

"It wasn't a rumor when the goblins came to the school last summer..."

"Actually, it still is," Hermione said, looking around to see who was listening. Neville had tuned to them, as had many around them.

"It was a sixty-eight foot..."

"Ron, shut it," Harry snapped. Over the summer, Dumbledore had approached him about the body of the basilisk. Snape and others wanted to see if it was still salvagable for many rear potion and other components. Since he had slain the beast, the goblins would not attempt to break into the chamber and salvage the beast. After talking with the Headmaster, he had agreed to donate twenty-percent of the creature to the school, while he took forty-percent and the goblins the last twenty to render it to the components needed.

Harry had silently given three percent to each of the victims and Ron. Hermione had gotten five percent, mostly because she was his best friend. That still left him twenty-percent of all sales. Harry was already having doubts about Ron by then. After the way Ron had been treating him, he was wishing he hadn't done even what he had. The only thing Harry didn't want was to have it in the papers, something Dumbledore agreed with.

Last he checked, it had netting him close to a hundred and eight thousand galleons and enough hide to make a few full wardrobes. That was with only about half the parts sold. The only positive Harry had really been pleased with was Snape. With the donation to the school, he had mostly left Harry alone and he was now earning a low Outstanding with Hermione's help.

Ron gave him a glare. "It's not all about you, Potter. Some of us have done things to earn acclaim too," Ron snapped back.

"This is not something we need to spread around," Hermione hissed in a low voice.

They were kept from arguing anymore as Professor McGonagall stepped into the room. "Attention up here. We have alot to go over today. First, you will notice that we have a guest, Ms. Delacour from Beauxbatons. While she is here, I expect you all to treat her as we are all the other guest at Hogwarts. Ms. Delacour, I do hope you enjoy your time here," McGonagall said.

Gabrielle was still sitting tall with her chin up. "Thank you, Madam McGonagall. I look forward to your class today."

McGonagall nodded her head. "Now, put your wands away or on your desk. We are going to over the vanishing and its counter, conjouring." She swished her wand towards the chalk boards behind her desk. "Behind me will the notes we will be going today for the first thirty minutes, then for the last twenty or so, we will work vanishing matches."

Harry and Hermione had already started this months ago after talking with McGonagall for some help. She had spent a few weeks, two hours on a Saturday, helping him. He hadn't had to use it yet, but Harry was starting to think he should have in the last task. But sometimes, in the heat of the moment, you use what comes most naturally, and he was not an expert in vanishing or conjouring yet.

During the class, a few others kept looking towards Gabrielle. As did a few girls at him. When it was time to leave, Hermione whispered, "Don't look now, but I think Lisa Turpin is going to ask you out today."

"What is with all this? They never gave me this much attention before," Harry whispered back.

"Maybe it is because they think you are with me," Gabrielle said, leaning into their huddle.

Hermione chuckled at his expression. "I barely know you," Harry said back.

Gabrielle shrugged. "Are you saying you don't like me?"

As she said it, Harry swore he felt a slight nudge on subconscious, sort of like when Moody had used the Imperious curse. He shook it off, not liking the feeling. "I wouldn't say that," he said. "I, ah, you know. You are pretty."

"Just pretty?" Gabrielle asked, her brows raised in question.

Hermione's shoulders started to shake as though she was silently laughing. "Yeah, pretty," Harry said sort of dumbly. What else did she want him to say? That she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen? Well, she was, but he didn't want to say that. He had a feeling that she wouldn't really appreciate it.

Gabrielle let out a breath through her nose. "Well, you are rather handsome, and when a powerful wizard like yourself appears to be taken, there is nothing more fanciful to a witch."

"I... ah... what?" Harry asked, understanding what she was saying but not believing it about himself.

"Before you totally waste his brain, we do need to get to History of Magic," Hermione told them.

"I'm not handsome," Harry whinged. Gabrielle hooked her arm around his. It seemed to be becoming a habit.

"Don't sell yourself short, 'Arry. It is unbecoming," Gabrielle insisted.

Hermione shook her head, looking like she was still silently laughing.

They sat in Binn's room, arriving after most of the others had sat down towards the back. Hermione wasn't as pleased, but Harry was happy that it got them away from Ron, Seamus and Micheal Corner, all of them casting jealous glances towards in and almost drooling when they looked at Gabrielle.

No one bothered them as the class started. About five minutes in, Gabrielle leaned over to him. "Is this how he teaches?"

Harry yawned. "Just be thankful it's only a few week."

She frowned. "I don't think I will be auditing this class in the future," she replied.

He snorted. "Hermione won't let me drop it."

"I know you don't have to go to classes this year, but you have your O.W.L.'s next year," the brunette said, rapidly scratching her own fountain pen in her book.

"That is the only reason I let you convince me," Harry said, taking only a quarter of the notes Hermione was. Binns was mostly reiterating what was in the course book.

"You do not need to take classes this year?" Gabrielle asked.

"Being a champion has its perks," Harry said rather non-chalantly.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You still have O.W.L.'s next year," she reminded him.

Gabrielle giggled when he rolled his own eyes. "Yes, you keep reminding me of that."

"And I will every time you say you are going to skip a class for no good reason," she retorted.

"You are worse than Fleur and I when we get going. You are sure you not twins or something?"

Harry and Hermione both gave her a disgusted look. "No. I am certain we are not related," Hermione answered her.

"We are just best friends," Harry added.

Gabrielle giggled again.

"Can we eat in the kitchens for lunch today? I really don't want anyone else looking at us. I also see Lisa, Mandy and Sue following us," Harry asked them.

Gabrielle took his arm, like she liked to do. "Not to have everyone staring at me would be nice."

"Fine, but we are not going to let the elves serve us," she told him.

"You know Dobby will no matter what," Harry pointed out.

Hermione huffed. "Fine. But only Dobby."

An hour later, Harry's face was burning as they left the kitchens. "Will you stop," he groused to Gabrielle, who was laughing. Hermione was smirking a little.

"But the Great Harry, you are such a great wizard," Gabrielle said, giggling as his face turned another shade of red.

"That elf really does love you," Hermione told him.

"If I didn't know better I would say he was the Great Harry's elf." The blonde's smile was ear to ear.

"Laugh it up. It wasn't as funny when he was trying to save me second year," Harry said grumpily.

Hermione's mirth died some. "Oh, that was awful. I still can't believe he cursed that bludger, thinking it would save you if you had to the school if you were hurt."

"Yeah, well, he wasn't wrong. Do you think he knew it was a basilisk?"

Gabrielle stopped mid step, the mirth on her face freezing before her eyes widened and mouth dropped in surprise and horror. "You are joking? A basilisk?"

The heat in his face dropped. "Well, yeah. We don't usually talk about it."

"You, Harry Potter, faced a basilisk? How did you survive?"

"Fawkes and a thousand year old sword. I had to kill it by jabbing a sword through its mouth," Harry said.

"Harry, you almost died. You were lucky it didn't swallow you," Hermione said.

Gabrielle blinked. "Swallow? I have never heard of a basilisk large enough to do that. How big was it?"

"Sixty-eight feet long and, what? about a yard wide or more?" He looked to Hermione for confirmation. She and Ron had gone down with him to let the goblins and the professors into the chamber.

"The goblins measured it at four-feet two inches at its widest," Hermione told him.

Gabrielle was looking at him, disbelief on her face. After a moment, she whispered, "Merde. Même dans les livres, il n'a rien fait qui ressemble à un basilic."

Harry looked at her, and when she didn't say anything in English, he looked to Hermione. She just shook her head. "I think Gabrielle has read all the books about you. She just said you never did anything like that in the books."

"Huh. Did I fight a werewolf, ride on a hippogryph, kill any dark lords, run from acromantula, face any three headed dogs, face dragons, fight mermen or save any damsels in distress in the books?" Harry queried. He had never read the books, even though he knew about them.

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, now is not the time to develop an ego. Besides, I don't think sticking your wand up a troll's nose counts as saving me."

Harry chuckled. "No, but the club did. Besides, I am curious"

Hermione snorted. "Yes, well, I think your head has been getting a little big this year."

"Really?" Harry asked her, cocking his head to the side. "I never wanted all that attention."

Gabrielle put her hands to her mouth. "You are not bragging? Most boys would make those stories up."

Hermione snorted. "Harry doesn't lie. Besides, I was there for a few of those."

"Except second year, you or Ron," he couldn't keep the slight scowl off his face at the redhead's name, "were with me."

"Most of the time, but it was that did all the big magic. I still say there were over a hundred dementors that night," she replied.

"I wasn't about to let them kiss anyone," Harry told her.

"Dementors?" Gabrielle whispered, her eyes going even wider.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry, we've never told anyone else and I don't know why we are now. Can you just forget about this? We have potions next and Snape isn't always that nice."

Hermione didn't correct him. She had lost some respect for some professors this year, especially when they said he had to compete, and then still hadn't found out how he was entered.

Gabrielle opened her mouth, then shut it, before saying, "You are telling me about all that."

"Did I do anything in the books where I fought off any of those?" Harry asked her.

"A werewolve and a vampire. Nothing else you just said," she told him.

"Hmm. We haven't met a vampire yet," he said.

Hermione hit his arm. "And we aren't going to. For all we know you will have to fight one. I would rather not tempt the Fates."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I seem to be working through all the other Class V creatures and beings, why not vampires?"

"You would face one, wouldn't you?" Gabrielle asked.

"Not willingly, but if I had too," Harry told her, not trying to sound cocky. He felt anything but, but when it came to having Gabrielle around, he seemed to not hold back like he usually would.

"Come on. We need to get to Potions," Hermione said.

Harry turned to Gabrielle when she didn't move. "Are you coming or do you want to go back to your carriage?"

Her blue eyes reflected admiration and fear. He usually hated that look, but it made him more worried about her than disdainful. When he reached out a hand, she slowly took it.

Hermione looked shocked when the blonde girl took his hand.

They started to make their way lower into the castle. Hermione walked on his other side while Gabrielle grabbed his hand rather hard. "Are you alright," Harry asked after a few minutes.

"You will tell me about all those stories?" she asked him.

Harry looked at her, then Hermione. When he looked back to Gabrielle, he shrugged. "They aren't all that great. There was alot of luck involved."

"I keep telling you that you are better wizard than you think," Hermione tried to bolster him.

Harry shrugged again.

"The Great Harry," Gabrielle said softly. There was an inflection that she was not teasing him this time. There was a certain amount of herp-worship in her tone he didn't like.

"I'm nothing like that. I've just been really lucky and had alot of people to help me at times," Harry said, a little embarassed.

Gabrielle squeezed his hand even tighter. "That was not luck that saved me from the lake," she told him.

He shrugged. "We did a lot of preparation and Hermione is really good at potions."

"It was you that figured out the egg and spent a month and a half swimming in the Black Lake every morning. I didn't even think to test if our spells would work properly under the water," Hermione pointed out.

"But you many of the spells that helped and brewed the water gill potion. I wouldn't have been able to do that," Harry countered.

"You are very good friends and a team, non?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't think I would have survived this long without Hermione," Harry told her.

Gabrielle looked a little shocked at his modesty.

They were the first to line up outside the Potions classroom in the lower dungeons. Gabrielle shivered a little. "Why are we down here?"

"This is the Potions room," Hermione told her.

The French girl didn't look impressed. Harry never had been either. As people lined up, Harry stood so that Gabrielle was a little more against the wall, but couldn't clearly be seen by many of those behind them.

When the Slytherins lined up on the other side, Malfoy looked odd. There was a small amount of his typical aloofness, but something else when he looked at Gabrielle. Harry hoped he didn't start anything.

For some reason, the little ferret restrained himself until Snape's door opened. Harry waited for the Slytherins to enter, not wanting to start anything. There was needy look on Crabbe's and Goyle's face. Nott didn't share her a second look, neither did Zabini. Parkinson and Bulstrode both gave a nasty look, while the ever quiet Davis and Greengrass just looked at them curiously. In close to four years now, he had never heard either girl say a word.

Harry led the Gryfindors in. "Potter, up front," Snape snapped.

Harry kept in a groan. When he sat, he expected Neville to sit with him. Hermione had been working with Dean much of the year since Halloween. Today, Neville took a table with Hermione and Dean, while Gabrielle sat with him.

"I expect you to show Delacour the proper way to brew today. If you don't, you will get a T," Snape said in the less confrontational tone he had adopted this year.

"Yes, sir," Harry replied.

Draco didn't look pleased at him. Harry tried to ignore the ponce as he showed Gabrielle the general stores closet and then he laid out his tools for her to use as well. "Mr. Snape doesn't go over the potion before you brew?"

"He gave us an essay last week. I didn't think to give it to you last night," Harry told her.

She nodded. "Will you help me today?"

"Of course," he told her.

Harry had his report out, as well as looking at the board as they worked on the potion. Gabrielle turned to be about as adept at potions as he was, meaning they were able to squeak out what looked like an exceeds expectations.

As they were packing up, Malfoy was already getting up. "Ms. Delacour," he asked, coming up to the desk. Gabrielle looked at him, her chin already up. "Oui?"

"I noticed that you are working with Potter. If you want someone that really knows potions, I could meet up with you later," Malfoy offered. "I do maintain the highest grade in this class."

Harry's eyebrows almost dissapeared into his hair. He had never known Malfoy to be so nice.

Gabrielle regarded him for a moment, "Thank you, mister..."

"Scion Draco Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy and Black families," Draco said, puffing his chest out.

Harry almost kept his short in. The blond boys grey eyes flicked to him quickly before he was focusing on Gabrielle.

"Thank you for the offer, Heir Malfoy, but I Heir Potter and Ms. Granger are good enough," Gabrielle said.

Draco's confident face tuned a little sour. "I assure you that Potter is no potions genius, and the mud... the muggle-born Granger is not that skilled." Draco caught himself when Snape cleared his throat.

"What are you all still doing here? Don't you have another class to get too," Snape said in a no arguement tone.

Draco looked even more unpleased, but he did a small bow at his shoulders and then walked away. Gabrielle didn't look happy either. "Is everyone going to ask me out? It was never this bad at Beauxbatons," she said in a low voice.

"I suppose I shouldn't offer to take you into Hogsmeade this weekend then," Harry said as a joke, hoping to get a smile from her. Hermione, who had been waiting for them, shook her head.

Gabrielle did have a smile come over her face. "I would actually like that. Is there another class we need to get too?"

Harry had just put his backpack on his shoulder and stopped, frozen in place. His head was trying to wrap around the fact that this gorgeous girl would say yes. She gave him a slightly mischievous look and turned to Hermione, who seemed to be silently laughing again. They started to walk out and he just when Snape snapped, "Potter, I am not giving you a letter to be late. Get out of here."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, taking off after the two girls.

When he caught up, Gabrielle took his arm again. They talked about Hogsmeade as they made their way up five floors to the DADA rooms, making it a moment or two early. Gabrielle looked around, taking in the dragon skeleton over their head, the jars full of large cave spiders, pixies and other dark creatures. The desked were lined up a little loosely, as though they had been hastily put back into place, which Harry didn't doubt. They spent atleast every other class dueling. Professor Moody was a very practical teacher. Much like Snape, he expected the students to do most of their own theoretical learning outside of class while doing their revision. Class time was for practice.

"Who is the teacher," Gabrielle asked next to him. Hermione was sitting at the table next to them with Neville.

"Professor Moody. He's an ex-Auror and bloody brilliant," Harry said, always looking forward to these classes.

"Bloody mental, if you ask me," Seamus said from behind them.

"If you had hunted as many dark wizards as he has, you would be too," Ron spoke up.

"I find him rather scary at times, "Lavender commented from behind Hermione.

"You can't deny he knows his stuff. Fourth years are not usually taught shields, disarming, banishing hexes and half the other spells Professor Moody has exposed us too," Hermione praised.

"He's still off his rocker," Seamus tried to convince them.

"I'm not saying he isn't, but you can't say he doesn't teach us," Harry defended the man.

"He likes you, so you would say that," Parvati said in a teasing tone.

Harry shrugged. "He's helped me this year," Harry replied. Between Professor McGonagall, Flitwick and Moody, Harry had received almost as many extra lessons from them as he had spent working with Hermione.

As they talked, Harry caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. He reacted, his wand shooting out of his arm holster. "PROTEGO!" he cried out. A shield came out before Gabrielle as a huge blue ball raced at them. Someone else yelled the same thing behind him.

Gabrielle and a few others screamed as the blue ball hit his shield. It exploded, sending blue paint everywhere. Gabrielle had hunhed over, her hands over her head. Harry dropped the sheild and sent off a few stunners and a leg-lock spell. The shimmering figure laughed as it stepped to the side of two of the spells and summoned a shield to block the other two.

"Good Potter and Granger. Three points each. The rest of you, you are dead," Professor Moody said as the disillusionment spell faded.

Lavender sat up, paint all over her. She let out a annoyed scream. "It took two days to get all the paint out last time."

"CONSTANT VIGILULANCE!" Moody roared. Half the class jumped, including Gabrielle. She hopped off her seat, almost landing in Harry's lap. "If you learn to be fast, you won't need to worry about that, Brown. Now, today we are going to have a little fun. You are all going to cast the paint spell on your wands and then we are going to go out to the lawns and the Forbidden Forest. I want four teams, five of you each. You have all been practicing and can see what it is like to be in a real battle. The team with the least amount of paint on them will the winner."

Half the class groaned. Harry had a huge smile on his face. They hadn't done anything like this yet.

"You can't be serious! I'm already covered in paint," Draco whinged.

"A simple scourgify. You have five minuted to decide your teams and then we are going out to the grounds," the grizzled professor ordered.

Gabrielle looked at him a little worriedly. "This is Defence class?"

"Isn't it brilliant," Harry asked her, unable to keep his enthusiasm down.

Seamus, Dean and Ron were as excited. Most of the rest of the class not as much. Gabrielle looked at him like he had a hole in his head.

"Non, I don't think so," she told him.

Hermione came over to the table. "Just stick with us and you should be fine. I was thinking me, you, Gabrielle, Neville and Dean," Hermione said.

"What about us? You and Harry are the best in the class," Lavender asked, still looking upset to have paint in her hair. "I can't scourgify this. It will ruin my hair."

"Ron and I aren't that bad. Me, you, Parvati, Ron and Fay should be able to beat the Slytherins," Seamus said.

"But not them?" Lavender asked.

Seamus snorted. "I say we just avoid them."

Harry snarked, "So, just like the rest of this year."

"We've said we are sorry," Parvati complained.

"Now is not the time. We should go over into the corner to talk about our strategy," Hermione said.

"How about I just tag everyone while you four shield me," Harry said a little cheekily.

"I've never done anything like this," Gabrielle said. "I am not a defense track like Fleur."

"Harry, now is not the time to be all 'I can do this on my own'," Hermione chastised him as they walked over to the corner. "And we will help you, Gabrielle. Neville, you are good with shields and spell redirection. I think you should work with Harry. Let him be all Conan the destroyer if he wants."

Harry and Dean chuckled while Neville looked a little concerned. "I am not Conan, more like Merlin," Harry teased back.

"Who is Conan," Neville asked concerned.

"A muggle thing, we'll describe it later. Gabrielle, have you every taken a defence class? Can you hit a target?" Hermione questioned.

"I can hit a target. Papa made sure I could atleast cast stunners and a few other defensive spells, but I do not know how to shield. We are supposed to learn that in charms next year," she replied.

Hermione nodded. "Dean, I think me, you and Gabrielle should work together. Let Gabrielle fire at anyone she wants. We can trade off shielding and attacking."

"So, are we just backing up Harry and Neville or do you have a plan?" Dean asked.

"I have a few, but I want to see what we are doing on the grounds," Hermione told them.

"Out to the grounds," Moody called out, and led them out to a back lawn. There were signed that they were not the first class to do this. There were rocks, dips, dirt mounds and four flags at the four corners of the large field.

"Right, the objective is to cause as much havok as you can. The team with the least amount of paint on them wins. If you are hit, you can take a few minute break, or not. Either way you will get back out there. You have an hour and a half. Make your paint the same colour as your flag. In five minutes I will make a canon sound. Now go," Moody barked at them.

"Far side," Harry asked, looking towards a blue flag. It was behind a large mound of rocks with others nearby. They would be at a dissadvantage being downhill, but it had the best cover to leave it.

Hermione regarded the position. Draco and his lot were already moving towards a green flag at the top of the hill, while the other Gryffindor groups was heading towards the orange flag at the base of the hill.

"Stupid, Gryffindors. They will be walking right into us," he heard Nott say as he walked past them.

Hermione's eye narrowed. "Yes," she replied.

"We are going to have to come up the hill," Dean commented.

"Yes, but there is a line of boulders and berms that we can use. I think this can work," Hermione agreed wit him.

Gabrielle looked at both of them, then the others. "Well, you are in charge. But do we have to do this in our uniforms," Gabrielle asked.

Hermione gave her a grin. "C'mon," she said.

They tromped down the hill, and once behind the boulders, Hermione asked, "Do you want out training outfits or battle robes."

"I prefer the battle robes with loose clothes beneath them," Harry told her, taking out his wand.

"What are you two talking about," Dean asked.

Harry just brushed his wand down his body. "Vestiverto," he murmered. His uniform changed into a pair of cargo pants with a heavy long sleeve shirt, thick woven vest and a heavy woven black robe cut more like traveling cloak. "I can never get the collar right," he complained, pulling down the overlarge collar around his neck. Who else?"

Hermione had done the same, and was in similar garb, though she preferred straight pants.

"Bloody hell. Is this what you two have been doing this year when you say your are training?" Neville asked.

"Some of it," he said coyly.

Gabrielle was looking him up and down. "Can you do the same for me?"

He gave her a smile. "You prefer a different colour or anything."

"Let me do it. The last time you did it to me my clothes fit more like boy clothes," Hermione told him. "Held Neville and Dean."

Harry chuckled. "Sure."

Gabrielle blushed a little. "Thank you."

It was another twenty second before they were all dressed similarly. Neville, Dean and Gabrielle didn't question to follow Harry and Hermione. "Right, I think we should start with more of a bombarment. High, large balls. Harry and Neville, you try and hit Malfoy and that lot. We will focus on Seamus' and Ron's group."

"Why not the other Slytherins," Dean questioned.

"Greengrass, Davis, Bulstrode and Zabini are not the best duelers and if you ever noticed they miss the targets Moody sets up more than half the time. As much as I dislike Malfoy, him and Nott are not ones to ignore. They win almost as much as Harry and I," Hermione told them.

"Just remember. Have fun and don't get hit. Sheilds wil block the paint balls, but they take more effort. Use them when you need. Cover each other. No one goes alone," Harry told them.

A cannon sound echoed across the field. "Right. A half dozen volleys and then we figure out where to next," Hermione told them.

Spells were already reigning down the hill. Harry pointed is wand into the air. "Gratisfor!" A football sized, blue ball of paint materialized and launched from his wand.

"Merlin, that was huge," Neville commented.

Harry shrugged before doing it again. Neville copied him, his ball of paint half the size of Harry's. Hermione's was between Harry and Neville's. "I haven't done this before," Gabrielle said as Dean and Hermione kept casting.

"MERLIN POTTER! I'm going to get you," Malfoy screamed over the field a few seconds later.

All three boys laughed. Harry stopped and moved over to Gabrielle. "All you need to do is picture a ball of paint and its colour. You just jab at your target and say 'gratisfor'."

She looked at him a little dubiously. After a few tries, she made a ball about the size of a marble that spattered against the rock. "To make it larger, you just put more magic into it."

Gabrielle nodded.

"Time to move," Hermione ordered. "Harry, you and Neville go to the left. We'll go to the right. Looks like the orange team is moving up the hill towards the red team. I think we will follow them while you keep Malfoy distracted. On my sparks, we regroup."

"Sure, General," Harry replied cheekily. Hermione rolled her eyes. Gabrielle looked a little apprehensive. "You'll do fine. Just stick with Hermione and if you get into trouble, Neville and I will come to you."

She nodded and Harry put a hand on Neville's shoulder. "Ready mate?"

"No," Neville said, but brought his wand up anyways.

It was just past four when they were tromping back up to the school. Out of the four teams, his was clearly the winner. None of them had escaped unscathed, but they had each taken maybe a half-dozen small balls each, mostly from ambushes by the other Gryffindor team. Lavender and Seamus were much sneakier than Harry thought they would be.

He chuckled to see the very disgruntled Slytherins. Most of them were covered in paint. The scourgify spells getting the heavy spots out, but leaving behind a residue that was already stiffening their clothes. Davis and Greengrass looked close to tears with the paint in their hair.

Gabrielle stepped up next to him. Her face was dirty, she had a green slotch across half her golden hair and the now reverted clothes had a few spots on the powder blue Beauxbaton uniform. She was cringing as she touched her hair. "This will come out, non?"

"Yeah. Just take a good shower. I find neetle shampoo works well on it. You did good. I didn't think you could get Malfoy in the forehead like that from almost fifty yards," he said with a smile.

She huffed and put up her chin. "He got my hair," she said rather upset.

"I got his everything," he smirked. That first volley had put two of the giant paintballs right in the middle of their group. Malfoy was still glaring at him with daggers in his eyes.

Gabrielle giggled. "I do not think blue is their colour."

"Perhaps not, but it was fun."

She sniffed again. "I did not enjoy it as much as you."

He shrugged. "I hope we do that again."

"Perhaps," she replied.

He laughed. They seperated as they neared the practice field entrance. "I'll see you at dinner?"

Gabrielle had grabbed her now messy braid and looked at the paint. "If I can get this out," she complained.

Harry shrugged again. "I don't know, I like it. Gives you a bad girl vibe," Harry found himself saying. "I always thought how punk rockers dyed their hair to be wicked." He felt a little heat come to his face as he realized what he had said.

Gabrielle's dark blue eyes met his. "You are being serious?"

"I wouldn't tease a girl about her hair." He nodded to Lavender, who was in tears as she tried to get some of the paint out of her hair without using her wand. "We learned our lesson when Moody first had us duel with the paint spell. Lavender gets very upset if you mess with her hair, but refuses to cover it."

Gabrielle sniffed. "Yes. I do not blame her. I will see you at dinner."

"I wouldn't miss it," Harry replied, giving her a smile before she walked off towards the Beauxbatons carriage.

Hermione fell in besides him. "What have you done with Harry Potter?"

He looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

"I have never seen you talk with a girl like that today or look at one like you do Gabrielle. I repeat, what have you done with Harry Potter?" She was looking at him intensly.

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. She's just easy to talk to, like you."

Hermione snorted. "In the last three days, you have turned down seven girls for Hogsmeade, just about beat up four guys that have gone after her and now you are going into Hogsmeade with Gabrielle this weekend. If you hadn't already been out of sorts this year, I would think you needed to go to Madam Pomfrey."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I don't know. She's cute. Like I said, she seems easy to talk too and she doesn't always look at me like I am more than just Harry." Even with some of the looks she had given him, she had yet to treat him like the Boy-Who-Lived. That meant more than anything.

Hermione regarded him for a moment out of the corner of her eye as they made it to the central stairwell. After a moment, she nodded. "Just be careful."

"I will," he assured her.

When they made it to the portrait, Hermione ran her hand through her hair. "I am going to go take a shower or two, then I'll meet you for dinner."

"Sure," he replied, heading towards the fourth floor boys dorms to do the same.

-oOo-

-oOo-

Chapter 4

March 3, 1995

London, England

The Minister at behind his desk. Bartimaeus Crouch, Head of Magical Cooperation and former Head of the DMLE, sat next to Amelia Bones, the current Head of the DMLE. To her side was the lead judicator for the law offices, Everard Rosewood. The otherside of Crouch sat his undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge.

Cornelius Fudge glared down his nose at the four people sitting before him. "Please explain to me again. How is it that the French Ministry and ICW are breathing down our necks for kidnapping the daughter of one of the highest ranking French Assemblee men, who also is an undersecretary for their DMLE? I have a formal complaint that is threatening sanctions against us for a competition I was told would open new doors for trade," he said in as calm a voice as he could muster while looking at Barty.

"We had assurances from Madam Maxime that Gabrielle Delacour had been informed and agreed to be a participant," Barty replied.

Cornelius opened a folder on his desk. "According to this, she had been asked if she wanted to attend. She was never made aware of what would happen. As much as I am not a fan of half-creatures, did anyone confirm her status or that the mermaids and veela are essentially at war with each other? A point I will say has already led to several incidents with magical vessels around England."

Barty didn't bluster like he normally would. "Diggory and his department are still trying to talk with the merfolk, but they are being obstinant and won't engage. The only missive we have gotten is that we broke the contract with them, and this is not the first time."

"Hem, hem," Dolores said. "I have advocated many times that these creatures should be handled more firmly."

"Now is not the time, Dolores. I was informed that if the Ministry goes to war with the merfolk, there is some outstanding treaty between them and the goblins. I won't have another insurrection on our hands," Cornelius shut her down. "Barty, how do we resolve this, and fast."

The man had a scowl on his face. "Representative Delacour has given us an option."

Amelia spoke up this time. "Yes. He had put forward there is some family business between him and Harry Potter. It requires Mr. Potter's legal guardian to resolve."

"Then what are you waiting for? Get it done," Cornelius said, thinking it this was so obvious he shouldn't have even needed to get involved.

"There is a problem with that," Barty said, sounding even less pleased.

"What problem?" Cornelius asked.

"Rosewood, tell the Ministry what you told me this morning," Amelia commanded.

The solicitor put a file onto his desk. "Harry Potter's legal guardian is Sirius Black. The Chief Warlock has been acting In Parento since his incarceration, but because Sirius Black was never official charged or given a trial, the Potters' will stands, and it claims Sirus Black as his primary guardian."

"Black!" Cornelius blustered. "The insane, mass murderer and betrayer of the Boy-Who-Lives parents! You can't not mean that Sirius Black!"

"The one and the same," Amelia answered. "Cornelius, Black was never questioned. Barty and the other heads at the time never charges him and never gave him a trial. He was sent to Azkaban on a temporary order. That order was only supposed to last up to six month, until he got a trial. It's been almost thirteen years now. Do you understand what this means?"

Dolores scoffed as Cornelius paled a little. "That is just semantics. Give him a paper trial and be done with it. I am sure their are many upstanding citizens that will be wiling to take the boy," Dolores said.

"It is not that easy," Barty said. "First off, there is only a seven year limit on charging anyone, unless there is just cause. Second, we did nothing to verify that Black was actually guilty."

The man looked sick.

"What does this mean?" Cornelius asked them.

"We have reason to believe Black is innocent," Amelia said. "Tell him what we found."

Rosewood cleared his throat. "His wand was checked. There were no spells that would have let to a mass explosion that killed those muggles or Peter Pettigrew. The records from Magical records show that he was registered as Harry Potters godfather. He took a magical oath. The records also show he was named the Heir of Black upon his father's death and is now Regent Black. There is no indication he betrayed the Potters or killed those people."

Cornelius put a hand over his mouth for a moment. "Merlin. I was there with Barty. The man was half crazed and ketp repeating that he had killed them."

"Have you ever heard of shock and survivor guilt? We deal with that in the Aurors ranks from time to time. Black was an Auror. We did nothing to confirm if he was guilty or not," Amelia said.

"He is guilty and should remain so," Dolores said.

Cornelius looked between Barty and Amelia. "Has he had any representation all these years?"

"I am scheduling one of my barristers to go out today. If he wants, he can bring up charges of improper incarceration. Worse though is he can bring charges of Line theft. You started proceedings last month to transfer the Black lordship to the Malfoys. If that happened, then all of us can be brought before the Wizengamot or face the House of Black. I have been led to understand that their family charter is rather harsh to those that go against it."

Cornelius paled even more.

"Stop the proceedings. I... I will talk to Lucius myself. If we are to free Black, will all this mess with the Delacour girl go away?" Cornelius asked them.

Barty looked very sour. "That is what Representative Delacour has indicated."

Dolores looked thunderous. "We are just going to let a blood traitorous murderer go so that we can walk away from a minor nuisance with the French?"

"Dolores, not today. You don't understand what other deals that we have been working on could fall apart if this gets out of hand. Amelia, get Black out of Azkaban. Get him here. Give him what ever he needs while we book an evidentiary hearing. Find a way to formally charge him so that we can justify keeping him all these year, then clear him," Cornelius ordered.

"Dolores, I want a spin on this that a grave injustice was found and it is being fixed. Blame is on Bagnold. Barty, I am sorry, but you will need to take the fall for this as well. I will ensure you get a full pension." Barty shivered with indignation, but didn't say a word.

"But Cornelius," Dolores started.

"No. We are going to spin this. Black will be released and he will be exonerated. We can't afford to upset the French, the House of Black or Harry Potter right now. If the boy finds out and speaks out against us, it will not end well," he said. The publicity, the fact it was found he was entered against his will and the boy's performance this year had captured the eye of the public and his popularity was more than ever.

Dolores looked like she was keeping her anger in. "Yes, Minister. I will prepare a news briefing for when this breaks."

Cornelius nodded. "I want a meeting with Black and Potter as soon as possible. If we can get them both on our side, then this whole fiasco can be saved and some of the tariff and trade deals will go well."

He knew Lucius Mafloy would be furious. Cornelius calculations were less on the Malfoy campaign donations and more on the trade deals. Malfoy, Parkinson, Greengrass, Brown, Patil, Chang and Abbot had been on the Ministry for years to close these deals. The good will, gold to the Ministry coffers and to his campaign fund would be three or four times what Malfoy paid him in a year for his advice.

If he could add two old houses that could become power players again to his 'friends', that would be more than worth the ire of the Malfoys.

"Why are all still here? Get it done," he ordered them.

-oOo-

March 4, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry had never been happier that Hermione had convinced him to buy new clothes in Hogsmeade this year. He hated the media, but it had been nice to have some of his pictures in nice fitting clothes, rather than the baggy one he had always had. The Daily Prophet and Teen Witch Weekly had said some flattering things about him... after the first task and opinion changed that he hadn't put his name in the cup. It was also when the Unspeakable had confirmed there had been damage to cups enchantments, but they didn't know who had done it.

Looking in the mirror, Harry made sure the collar of his dark blue polo shirt was down and his belt adjusted. He had just had to go out another notch. He wasn't fat, but he wasn't as skinny as he used to be either. Months of working out and some nutrition potions had worked wonders. Now, if he could just grow another two or three inches he would be about average height of most of the other fourth year boys in the school.

Running his hand through his hair, he sighed, knowing there was nothing to be done with it. Even Sleekeezy's Hair Tonic didn't seem to work, even though it would tame Hermione's hair.

He sighed, hoping he looked cleaned up.

"Big day today?" Neville asked, stepping close to the mirror. Harry stepped back so his roommate could straighten out his own clothes.

"Not sure why, but Gabrielle accepted my invitation into Hogsmeade. I had meant it as a joke," he told him.

Neville looked at him in the mirror. "You save her from raging merfolk, hang out with her every free moment you had this week, sit with her in classes and you wonder why she would say yes?"

Harry shrugged. "I wasn't going to leave her down there when they pretty much said they were going to kill her."

Neville choked and Harry had to pat his back.

"You alright, Neville?"

"Kill her? You didn't say anything about that. The Daily Prophet says something happened, but not what," Neville replied.

"Yeah, well, haven't really felt like sharing much with any of you this year. Didn't quite feel wanted," Harry replied.

Neville looked embarrassed. "I never thought you entered yourself."

"You really didn't say anything against what the others were saying either," Harry replied.

Neville looked a little red. "It's not like you have ever included me in anything the last few years. The few times I stood up to you, or for you, I either found myself petrified or ignored."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "Sorry about that. I was usually a little consumed with issues."

Neville turned to look at him. "We have all seen that. Maybe if you ask for more help sometimes things wouldn't get so bad," Neville challenged him.

Harry frowned, before nodding. "Maybe you are right. I never felt like I could."

Neville nodded.

"Neville, maybe we can start over? I could use a few more friends," Harry offered.

Neville and him regarded each other for a little bit. After a moment, he extended his hand. "Neville Longbottom, Heir of the Longbottoms."

Harry took it. "Harry Potter. Nice to meet you."

Neville tilted his head. "You too."

"I'd ask you to join us today, but I kind of think Gabrielle thinks this is a date," Harry said nervously. "Not like I really know what to do."

Neville laughed. "You can almost kill a dragon single-handedly, but you don't know how to handle a girl?"

Harry smirked. "Are you telling me you are some suave debonair?"

Neville's face coloured a little. "Not really, but Susan Bones asked me if I would escort her in this weekend."

Harry shook his head. "Good luck with her."

Neville looked at him curiously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing. Just have a good time," Harry told him.

"No, you obviously don't like her. Should I be worried?" Neville asked.

Harry debated for a few on whether he should say anything or not. After a moment, he sighed. "She is one of the ones that always seems to flip flop on me. Just... be careful."

Neville didn't seem to like what he said. "I've known Susan since we were little. She's always been nice, to everyone."

Harry snorted. "Yeah. Totally nice." There was sarcasm all over his voice.

"Harry, what has she done to you?"

"Nothing, Neville. Just enjoy yourself. Forget I said anything."

"We may not have been friends, but I can't ever remember you having an issue with someone unless they had an issue with you first," Neville said.

"I'd say you are pretty spot on. I need to go meet Hermione and then walk down to get Gabrielle," he told him. Harry grabbed his thick winter cloak and the vest the woman at Gladrags said all young, proper wizards were wearing.

Neville took his arm as he went to go out. "Harry, if you have an issue with Susan, I want to know. I like her and if we are to start over and spend any time with each other, I don't want you having an issue with her."

Harry let out a long breath. "Neville, if you like her, enjoy it. I don't want to hang out with her or any Hufflepuff right now. Okay?"

"Did she wear one of the badges earlier this year?" Neville asked, not sounding happy.

Harry really didn't want to sabotage this if he really liked Susan, but Harry wasn't going to sugar coat things either. He was still angry with how he was treated. It was like second year all over. "Yes."

Neville searched his face. "That isn't all, is it?"

"No."

Neville frowned. "That seems so unlike her. She always gets along with everyone and hates it when people are bullies or called names."

Harry snorted. "I find that most people hate it when they are called names or bullied, but have no issue when its against others. I have to go. I don't want to be late."

Harry put his vest on and then put the cloak over his shoulders, leaving Neville in the dorm with a still sleeping Ron.

Most people were in the Great Hall, eating breakfast before they could head down into Hogsmeade. The gates would open at ten. Hermione and a few others were in the common room. "Morning," Harry met Hermione.

She was looking at him with a raised brow. "Going for the dressed-up day, huh?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "Are you saying I should wear a Weird Sisters t-shirt with cargo pants today?"

"You were the one that told her you like that more punk look," Hermione said as she straightend out his collar and brushed some lint off his cloak.

Harry smirked. "I did like how her hair was half green for a day."

Hermione sniggered. "You really like her, don't you?"

He hoped it didn't show in his face. "I've only known her a week."

"And some people fall in love in a day. Just be yourself and don't be too bitter today," she told him. They started towards the door.

"Yes, mum," he snarked.

She gave him an unimpressed look. "You used to be such a nice boy."

He snorted. "Yeah, then everything else happened. Neville is going into Hogsmeade with Susan Bones today."

Hermione made a face. Hermione had started to study with Susan and Hannah Abbot last year, she had thought they were becoming friends, then his name came out of the cup and they turned bitchy, just like second year when they thought he had attacked Justin with that snake.

"Did you warn him?"

Harry nodded. "I tried not too, but that used-to-be-nice boy wasn't playing well today."

"What did you say?"

"I wasn't going to originally. If she is nice to him and they like each other, then all the power to them. I just won't be hanging out with her or any Hufflepuff," he told her in no uncertain terms.

Hermione frowned. The Hufflepuffs had been particularly nasty to him for November. By the time they had wanted to apologize Harry was put off of them all.

Neither of them said anything as they walked down towards the entry hall. After a moment, Harry asked, "You going to be alright on your own today?"

"Lavender and Parvati convinced me to go with them and Padma," she said. "Apparently Padma is getting really annoyed with her roommates."

"Be careful. You have the watch on you?"

"I do. Do you want me to make one for Gabrielle?" she enquired.

Harry reached into his pants and pulled out his money pouch. He fished out a few galleons and sickles. "Get what you need. I really don't want to upset Fleur or her father is she gets hurt when I am supposed to be keeping an eyes on her."

Hermione laughed. "How bad do you like her?"

Harry shrugged before rubbing the back of his neck. "I don't get it why she would like me? She likes some supermodel or something."

Hermione snorted. "And here I thought you weren't affected by their allure."

"I'm not. She's just that good looking," he said defensively.

They made to the entry hall. "Have a good time."

"You too. I'll see you at dinner," he told her.

Turning away from the main doors, he started towards a shortcut that would take him close to the lawn by the Black Lake and the Beauxbatons carriage. That would put them close to the carriages that would take the students along the edge of the lake to the main gates. The causeway to the entry courtyard crossed a narrow cove of the lake on the other side of the castle.

As he approached, a few Beauxbatons students were heading up to the castle. A boy nodded his head and two girls giggled as he walked by. That had become an annoying occurrence since last weekend. Sometimes he wasn't sure to be flattered or bothered that the girls were three or four years older than him.

There was no other sign of activity when he knocked on the giant door of the even larger carriage. It really was the size of a house.

Madam Maxime opened the door. "May I help you?" she asked in her deep, French accented voice.

"Good morning, Headmistress. I am wondering is Gabrielle Delacour is ready to go into town," Harry said. He was going for the nice approach today, even though most of the Beauxbatons contingent hadn't been exactly welcoming to him.

Madam Maxime looked at him for a moment. "I trust you shall keep her in good health?"

Harry found it hard to not roll his eyes. "I have so far this week," he said, atleast keeping the snarky tone out of his voice.

The woman didn't look as happy. "Representative Delacour has put his faith in you. I am still not convinced. What are you an Madamoiselle Delacour going to do today?"

"Excusez-moi, Madame Maxime. Je crois que l'Héritier Potter et moi avons un rendez-vous aujourd'hui," he heard Gabrielle say from behind the large woman.

Harry flashed her a smile when he caught her blue eyes and blonde hair inside the coach. Gabrielle did the same as the large woman turned to her. "Mademoiselle Delacour, je ne ferai pas la même erreur que le week-end dernier. Dois-je vous confier le menteur ?"

"L'héritier Potter ne me fera aucun mal. Il a donné sa parole à mon papa et n'a été qu'un gentleman pour moi,"Gabrielle responded. Harry wished he understood French. He was really going to have to add that to his study schedule for the rest of the year. That could be a good excuse to skip History of Magic...

Madam Maxime looked at Gabrielle and then Harry. After a moment, she turned back to Gabrielle. "S'il cesse d'être un gentleman, je vous bannirai de lui, quoi qu'en dise le représentant Delacour," the woman said back.

"Oui, Madam Maxime," Gabrielle said. Madam Maxime stepped aside and Harry got his first look at what Gabrielle was wearing today. She was in floor length white skirt with embroidered flowers, a goldenrod yellow blouse that showed off her long neck and dipped to hint at her cleavage. A gold necklace hung low, a pendant with a shining blue stone just above the top of the shirt. She wore a long winter cloak that was white, like her skirt. It was far brighter than most British wizard fashions, but he liked how the cut of the clothes made more obvious she was a girl of nice curves. Much better than the more straight cut and form hiding clothes sold in Hogsmeade or Diagon Alley. Her hair was in a plait again. Harry found he liked her hair like that.

Madam Maxime's eyes narrowed to see the way he was looking her up and down. It was something Harry didn't normally do, but by the expression on Gabrielle's face she didn't mind it much, her own eyes taking him in.

"I expect you to be on your best behaviour, Monsiuer Potter, or I shall ban Madammaoiselle Delacour from seeing you outside of classes," the tall woman warned him.

Harry gave her a cheeky grin, one that had Gabrielle smiling again, "I shall always behave for Gabrielle."

The woman didn't look convinced, but let Gabrielle step to the stairs. Harry extended a hand and she took it as she stepped down. Just to rub it into the nose of the woman, Harry lifted her hand once she was on the lawn and bent over to kiss her knuckles. "It is a pleasure to see you today, Madamoiselle Delacour. Would you care to accompany my into Hogsmeade today?"

Gabrielle's eyes danced with mirth, but her face was rather impassive. "Thank you, Monseiur Potter. It would be my pleasure."

Merlin, he loved her accent.

The Beauxbatons Headmistress let out a small huff and Gabrielle took his arm as they made their way up to the entrance by the clock tower to catch a carriage.

Once they were out of earshot, Gabrielle giggled. "I thought she would never let me go," Gabrielle told him.

"Need me take care of her? I doubt a half-giant will give me any troubles after facing a dragon," he said in a rather smug tone.

She giggled again. "Non. Non. She means well and Madam Maxime has always been good with our family. Though papa is is still very upset with her right now."

Harry huffed. "I would be too if someone I cared for was kidnapped in the middle of the night."

"I did say I would go, it was just not explained what I would be doing," Gabrielle said, defending her headmistress. "Though, it should have been explained to her. She would never have agreed to have me go into the lake. She was nervous enough Fleur had to go into the water."

Harry snorted. "I would figure Maxime and Karkaroff would have figured it out before that day. They snuck around and found the dragons."

Gabrielle rose and eyebrow. "How would you know?"

"I saw them," Harry answered.

"You were cheating too?"

He laughed. "Hardly. Hagrid asked me to come down one night and he took me and Madam Maxime to see them. Karkaroff was sneaking behind us," Harry told her in a nonchalant manner. For him, that was just a normal occurance. Gabrielle's raised eyebrows said that was anything but normal.

"Your Professor Hagrid helped you cheat? I thought that was against the rules," she put to him.

Harry shrugged. "Hermione thought so too, but all they say is that professors, tournament officials and teachers can't help directly in completing a task. Professor Dumbledore told me that I could ask anyone for help. Since Hagrid didn't tell me how to beat the dragons, we figure that didn't break the rules," Harry replied.

"Why do you call him Hagrid, but all your other teachers Professor?"

"Hagrid was a friend of my families. He was the one that took me from my parents and helped me when I got my letter that told me I was a wizard. Hagrid has been one of the few people to always be there for me and help as he can." Harry found himself not holding anything back when she asked him.

Gabrielle nodded. They walked around the coaches and Gabrielle shivered. "You can see them too?" Harry asked.

"They are thestrals, non?"

"Yeah. Not much to look at, but they are really nice and I've heard they can fly you any where you ask them too," he told her.

She still looked a little uneasy, and didn't come any closer when Harry extended his hand for the one next to them to sniff it. After a moment, he led her to the front carriage. There was already a line, so they went to back. A younger Ravenclaw boy was staring at her, his eyes a little unfocused, so Harry pulled on her arm to put Gabrielle on the other side of him. She didn't resist.

"Who did you see die?" she asked.

"Someone," he said a little cryptically. He didn't want to talk about it with so many others around.

Gabrielle seemed to get his reluctance and said, "It was my bon-papa. He passed last year."

"I'm sorry to hear that," he said. Not sure what was possessing him, he reached over and took her hand. She wrapped both hands around his.

"It is fine. He was getting older and had been sick for some time. I am just happy we were able to say good-bye. Papa and maman took us out of Beauxbatons to do so," she told him, sounding a little sad.

"Again, I'm sorry. At least you were able to say goodbye," he told her.

She nodded. "Have your permission slips ready," Mr. Filch called out.

Harry took his form out of his pocket. "Do I need one?" Gabrielle asked.

"No clue. I'll sneak you out if I need too," he promised.

She gave him a look. "I get the sense you are more a trouble maker than you say."

Harry gave her a cheeky grin. "I've been told rules are meant to be bent at times."

She giggled at him. "It that why you like the music you do?"

Harry continued to smile as they moved towards the front of the line. "I just like it." He wasn't about to say he liked it because his cousin hated it and Aunt Petunia had allowed him to use an cassette player he found when cleaning out the attic this last summer while he was working in the yard. Harry had been able to get a few cassettes of rockbands from the 80's. Maybe he would need to send some money to Hermione next summer to get a new cd player.

"By the way, you look really nice today," Harry told her, realizing he hadn't said that yet.

She beamed at him. "You look rather nice too, though you don't look as comfortable."

He shrugged. "I figured you would like me more this way."

Filch took his permission slip and nodded. "And where is yours," the man asked in his gruff manner.

"Ms. Delacour is a Beauxbaton student. Their headmistress has given them permission," Harry replied.

"Oui monsieur. Madame Maxime a dit que j'avais la permission d'entrer à Pré-au-Lard pour la journée," she said to the man, who looked at her confused.

"Right, off you go," Mr. Filch said after a moment.

She leaned in close as they stepped behind a group waiting for the next carriage. "He is not a pleasant man, is he?"

Harry chuckled. "That is putting it mildly."

She gave a little smile, looking like she wanted to laugh. Harry helped her into the carriage and sat next to her. When it started into the town, she said, "I like when you are dressed more yourself, even if you do clean up nicely."

Harry shared her smile. "Next time I'll remember that, unless I am taking you somewhere nice."

"Next time? Day hasn't even started and you thing there will be a net time," she asked. He could hear the teasing nature of her voice. Her hand reached out and took his this time.

He shrugged. "One can hope," he told her. "I just hope you don't get bored. Hogsmeade has nothing like you said St. Lawrent has."

She moved a little closer as the carriage bounced after hitting a pothole or something. Harry sore he felt her warmth through both their heavy winter cloaks. "I am sure you can find a way to entertain me."

"I hope so too," he said under his breath.

Unsure what to really do on a date, Harry took her to the normal haunts first. Zonkos was the first stop, and she wasn't as impressed with all the joke products, but did get a new pack of snap cards and a chessman set. "I do not have my set here and my last pack of cards blew up on me," she said as explanation as Harry put a few small fireworks, some hair colour potions and some joke quills on the counter.

"You don't have to explain it to me. Please ring these up together," Harry requested.

"I have my own money," she told him.

"You can pay if you want. I just thought it was a nice thing to do," he said a little self consciously. It wasn't like he didn't have the money, especially after the basilisk.

Her eyes looked into his and then they scanned his face, as though she was looking for something. After a moment, she said, "It is nice."

"Are you paying for this seperately or together," the clerk asked.

"Together," Gabrielle answered.

As they were leaving the shop, Gabrielle took his hand. Harry liked the touch. He liked it even more when she suddenly pulled him closer and she quickly kissed his cheek. Harry stumbled and then stood stock still. He blinked a few times while she giggled. "Where to next?" she asked.

"Ah, chocolate?" he suggested.

"I hope they have a nice Bavarian bark," she said, pulling his hand and he started to walk. Harry tried hard to not let the heat he felt show on his face. Only Hermione had ever kissed his cheek and that was to say goodbye for the summer, not on a date.

"What's different about bavarian chocolate?"

"It is tres magnifique! Creamy. Melt in your mouth. It's a little sweeter than what most French and Belgian chocolate. It's especially good on cakes," she said enthusiastically.

Harry laughed at her. "I really didn't know there were so many different types."

"It is more the maker, than the type. Do they make their chocolates at the chocolateir?"

"No clue. We can ask. Honeydukes it just a few stores down," he said, taking up the lead. She didn't let go of his hand as they wove their way through the crowding streets. Harry was sure most of the school was already down in the town, probably doubling the population of the sleepy hamlet. That was before the normal weekend visitors were in the town.

When they entered, Gabrielle didn't even bother with the few aisled or displays around the shop. She went straight for the glass counter, kneeling down to investigate what was on display. An old woman came up. "She knows just what she wants, doesn't she deary?"

"It appears so," Harry chuckled.

"I just like chocolate," Gabrielle waved him off.

"So you already said," Harry commented.

"Be quiet," she told him, waiving her hand at him. "I am trying to choose."

Harry chuckled again and the woman behind the counter smiled at them. "Forgive me for interrupting you."

"It is forgiven," she responded.

"Anything I can help you with?" the woman enquired.

"Oui. Are these regular milk chocolate or are they Belgium in origin?"

"We make all our chocolates here, with cane sugar from Jamaica or Costa Rica, with the best cream from hosten cattle my family had had for generations and hand ground cocoa from specail farms that we do not say where they are from," the woman said rather proudly.

"I look forward to trying your chocolate then. I would like two of each truffle, some of your bark..." Gabrielle ordered enough chocolate to feed half of Gryffindor House. When done, Gabrielle looked at him, "Aren't you getting anything?"

Harry shook his head. "I think you just ordered enough to get me through the next few years," he teased.

Her cheeks flushed a slight bit. "I enjoy chocolate," she told him.

"I'm not judging," he said back.

She eyed him and he paid the four galleons for her order. He typically spent about fifteen sickles on a dozen chocolate frogs. She put the bag into a pocket in her cloak. "Extended pocket?"

"Maman always makes sure we have space if we need to go out shopping or do travel unexeptantly."

Harry took her hand this time as they walked out of the store. "Do you that often?"

"Do what," she asked, reaching into her cloak and taking out a truffle.

"Travel unexpectantly?"

She took a bite of the truffle before answering. "Not often, but papa likes to be prepared. My bon-papa fought in the Grindelwald wars and papa and his family moved often to avoid bad wizards. He has never forgotten that and always makes sure we are ready to go. I was caught unwares last weekend. If I had even been able to grab my cloak or pants, I would have had a wand and some basics."

"They really just took you out of your room? No warning? They didn't even wake you up?" Harry asked incredudously. She hadn't mentioned that all week.

Gabrielle shook her head. "I went to bed a little early, expecting to take an early morning portkey. The next thing I remember was choking on water and then some strange man with his mouth on mine," she she said, a little smile on her face.

Harry rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that. It was the only way I thought to get the potion into you with how you were panicking."

"I am not complaining. I was rather hoping a strange man might repeat that, but while I am expecting it this time," she coyly replied.

Harry felt his heart start to hammer against his chest. "I hope that strange man isn't planning to take you on a date after me?"

She giggled. "Well, he isn't really strange anymore. He's rather handsome, actually."

"And if this strange man maybe found the girl next to him was rather pretty?"

"Then, wouldn't the handsome man want a reward for saving the pretty girl?"

Harry felt his face flush as they stopped along a fence after randomly wandering the last few minutes. "I didn't help Fleur or you for a reward," he said a little uncomfortably, trying to figure out how they had so suddenly gotten to this point.

"I would like to give him a reward," she said, moving in. Harry's eyes widened as she leaned against him, her hands behind her back. They were just about the same height, so when her eyes closed and her lips came in close, it was natural for them to just close the distance.

As surprised as he was, Harry didn't freeze when her lips touched his. He found himself leaning into the first kiss he had ever had, his lips meeting hers and then softly moving against her soft lips. There was a tingling that passed between them that sent a thrill through him. The kiss lasted maybe a few seconds, but Harry felt like he was floating, a soft smile coming to his face. Gabrielle pulled back just a bit, enough so he could look into her dark blue eyes when she opened them. She was wearing a very similar smile.

"Was that my reward?" he asked a little cheekily, hoping that wouldn't be the last of her mouth on his, or to have her leaning against him like this.

She giggled before her eyes took on an intensity as her lids closed a little. "It was part of it," she said.

"So, if I wanted more?" He couldn't believe what he was saying.

She bit her lip before saying, "I don't like to kiss just anyone."

Harry regarded her, his body reacting in ways he never knew possible. His pants had tightened. He could tell her chest was pressing against his. His breath became a little shallower to see look in her eyes... was that passion?

He licked his lips. "Would you kiss, ah, your boyfriend?"

She bit her lip again. "If he asked me," she just about purred. The shiver that went through him was intense.

"Well, I wouldn't kiss just anyone either," he retorted without any real heat behind it.

"Would you kiss your girlfriend?" she put to him.

"If you want to be my girlfriend," he put to her.

She moved in, her lips pressing against his again. This time they both responded more, but it was obvious that neither of them had much experience yet, and it definitely was Harry's first kiss. "Yes," she said, pulling back.

Harry's smile grew even more.

Out of all the wierdest things to ever happen to Harry Potter, he found the first week he knew Gabrielle Delacour to be strangest and to end the happiest.

-oOo-

Excusez-moi, Madame Maxime. Je crois que l'Héritier Potter et moi avons un rendez-vous aujourd'hui. = Excuse me, Madam Maxime. I do believe that Heir Potter and I have an appointment today.

Mademoiselle Delacour, je ne ferai pas la même erreur que le week-end dernier. Dois-je vous confier le menteur ? = Miss Delacour, I will not make the same mistake I did last weekend. Am I to trust you with the liar?

L'héritier Potter ne me fera aucun mal. Il a donné sa parole à mon papa et n'a été qu'un gentleman pour moi. = Heir Potter will do me no harm. He gave his word to my papa and has been nothing but a gentleman to me.

S'il cesse d'être un gentleman, je vous bannirai de lui, quoi qu'en dise le représentant Delacour. = If he stops being a gentleman I will ban you from him, no matter what Representative Delacour has said.

Oui monsieur. Madame Maxime a dit que j'avais la permission d'entrer à Pré-au-Lard pour la journée. = Yes, sir. Madam Maxime has said I have permission to enter Hogsmeade for the day.

-oOo-

-oOo-

Chapter 5

March 7, 1995

Hogwarts, Scotland

"I'll see you at lunch," Gabrielle told him after giving him a quick kiss. He watched Gabrielle walk out of the hall with her sister.

"I'm going to go to the library," Hermione informed him.

"I'm going to skip that this morning," Harry told her.

She rose an eyebrow. "You took last week off."

"Actually, I didn't. I have a bunch of new spells to try," Harry told her.

"Is that what you were doing in the Restricted Section last week?"

"Mostly. The more I think about it, the more I think we got extremely lucky in the lake. I want to be better prepared. I was also going to go to Madam Pomfrey today and see she will start teaching us some basic healing spells," he replied.

Hermione nodded. "We should have thought of that before."

"I was more worried about just surviving. There is a meeting of the Champions at ten. I am hoping they will give us our next clue," Harry commented.

"They are probably going to give you your scores," she told him.

"Oh, forgot about that. I hope we get our next clue. I don't want to waste the next four months."

"I'm sure we will be able to figure it out again."

Harry nodded at her.

Finding himself very hungry still, Harry made himself an egg sandwich. This morning he had started his workouts again, except the swim in the lake, he was unsure if he should go anywhere near it at the moment. He had also taken his fourth dose of the nutrition potion Hermione and him had brewed. Every other week since Christmas he had done that so he could put on some more muscles, and maybe height, to help him. Everytime he did, he found himself eating twice what he would normally for a few days.

He was about to get up to head to his practice room when a familiar redhead sat across from him. He was joined by Seamus, but Dean was sitting down the table by Neville, Lavender and Parvati.

Harry, not wanting to get into another argument with Ron, went to get up.

"I want to talk," Ron told him.

"I think I've said all I want," Harry replied.

"Come on," Ron whinged. "I know you didn't put your name in. I just want to go back to being friends."

Harry grabbed his book bag. "I needed a friend that would have stood by my side."

"I have," Ron retorted.

Harry just snorted in responce.

"What is going on with you and that French girl?" Seamus enquired.

"Her name is Gabrielle, and for whatever insane reason, she is my girlfriend," Harry told them.

Ron scowled. "Always getting everything. This was why I thought you entered."

Harry's face became blank. "If you think that, then you never knew me."

"I have no idea why she would be your girlfriend. Their a lot more better looking guys," Seamus countered, as though he wasn't really listening to what Ron and him were saying.

"Like you?" Harry shot back.

Seamus gave what he probably thought was his winning smile. "Glad you noticed. Think I will ask he out later, show her what a real guy is like."

Harry found himself balling his fist. He wasn't sure why he was so protecting... almost possessive of her... but the only two people Harry felt were really on his side was Hermione and Gabrielle, and he wouldn't give them up. "Get this straight now. Gabrielle is my girlfriend. Stay. Away. From. Her."

Ron's scowl went away. "No, maybe I never knew you."

Harry gave them a two finger salute before turning towards the doors.

Hermione's words echoed in his head, even though she had been joking at the time. You used to be such a nice boy.

Between last year and this, Harry was done with being nice when he didn't need too. Ron had been at Hermione's throat most of last year when he thought she was the reason he dropped Divination and then decided to not try out for the Quidditch team. That had actually caused a huge issue with most of the house. As much as he loved playing Quidditch, he enjoyed flying more, and had gotten permission to take lessons with Madam Hooch for long distance broom races. It wasn't until April, when he did 50km race in Sweden and came in second that everyone had backed off of him and the house seemed to be on his side again. he was going to race over Christmas this year in the Spanish Underage, 100km and the same Swedish 50km amateur. As was tradition, most competitors built their brooms, and that was what he was supposed to do this year. He had found the core. It was from an ancient oak in the Forbidden Forest. He had started to shape it, and imbue his magic into it, then the tournament dragged him in.

The core of broomstick was still sitting on a table in Madam Hooch's shop. As mush as the woman loves Quidditch, she was a racer in her younger years, and still beat him most of the time on a broom she had built almost forty years ago.

Next year was going to be his year.

As long as he survived.

At least Harry could say he had lived a little, now that he had a girlfriend.

Something he had never considered before.

As he left the great hall, he went towards the hospital wing first.

When Harry knocked on the open door to the Healers office, he found Madam Pomfrey at her desk drinking tea. Her breakfast of two poached eggs on grilled muffin and hash looked to have gone cold a while ago. She looked up from the paperwork she was doing and huffed. "Are you bleeding out or gotten into another spell fight?"

"No, Madam Pomfrey," he replied.

"Very well. First bed, Potter. I'll be with you in a few minutes. I'm still cleaning up some of the mess from last week," she told him.

"I'm sorry about that, Madam Pomfrey. All I can say is that I didn't attack first," Harry said. He liked Madam Pomfrey.

"I don't blame you, Potter. You did the best you could for your age. Now, go sit and I will see to whatever is wrong with you in a few. I need to get this order for more supplies in," she told him.

"That was actually some of what I wanted to talk to you about," Harry said.

She looked back up from her parchment work. "Are you starting your own Hospital? You are here enough."

Harry laughed. "No. I don't want be a healer, but I was hoping you could teach me about healing? It might keep me out of here."

She rose an eyebrow. Harry copied her and she shook her head. "If you were any other student, I would probably say no before your sixth year."

"Does that mean you will?" Harry asked hopefully.

She looked at him for a few. "What is your schedule like?"

"I have no classes on Mondays. Nothing after second period Wednesday and Care of Magical Creatures after lunch on Friday's. I am busy all day Tuesday and Thursdays," he replied.

"How about your weekends?"

"Whenever," he told her.

She made thoughtful sound. "Mondays after breakfast and Wednesdays after lunch. I will give you an hour, and then you can stay if you want to see if any students come in. I am only going to be teaching you the basic diagnostic and healing spells. It can be dangerous to go beyond that without an understanding of human transmogrification or advanced charms."

"Great. Can we start today," Harry queried.

She let out of a quick breath of amusement. "We will start Wednesday. I don't have the extra time this morning."

"Thank you, Madam Pomfrey. I look forward to seeking you out for more than just a bed for now on."

She chuckled. "I do too, Potter. Now get out of here and let me finish my paperwork."

"Yes, ma'am."

After that, he retreated to his practice room for a bit, going over the notes he had from the Forbidden Section of the library, and trying a few on the two practice dummies that Professor Flitwick had let them use. By the time he had made it the antechamber off the great hall, he was sorry he hadn't stopped early enough to take a shower. Luckily the Fred and George had taught him a deodorant spell.

Most of the people he expected to see were here. Professor Dumbledore was talking with a woman he hadn't seen before. She was relatively short with shoulder length black hair and light blue eyes. Percy Weasley towered over her, but stood back, looking like a puppy that had gotten into trouble. Fleur was with Madam Maxime. She nodded to him as he gave her a little wave. Her demeanor towards him had taken a one-eighty since he had help her in the lake.

Cedric was standing to the side with a man in glasses. The man had a look of someone that was at one time an athlete, but had let himself go over the years. He did look like Cedric, so Harry assumed he must be his father. Opposite the room from them was Krum and Karkaroff. Where Harry was on first name basis with Cedric and Fleur now, Krum was still as surly and standoffish as ever. The always dour look on Karkaroff's face kept most people away anyways.

Harry, not having anyone to stand with him, took up in a corner.

He just watched everyone until the woman stepped forward. "Thank you all for coming today. For those of you who don't know me, I am Tabitha Albright, Head of Magical Cooperation. We are just waiting for our last guest who seem to be running a little late. Head Bagman is waiting to escort them up."

Harry gave a quizzical look to her. He couldn't help but wonder where Head Crouch was.

No one approached him as they waited. Luckily, they didn't have to wait long. His curiosity peaked to see who walked in with Bagman. There was Minister Fudge. A woman with red hair that was greying and had a gold chain hanging out of her pocket on her robes. Mr. Delacour followed them in, as did a woman in pink robes. He thought she looked a little squat and her face too wide. She gave him a look he didn't know how to interpret. Behind them was a woman he recognized right away by her garish robes, jewel encrusted glasses and bright lipstick - Rita Skeeter. Her camera man was just behind her.

"A, Minister, I didn't know you would be here today," Dumbledore greeted the man.

"Yes, Dumbledore, I figured I would come up to see the scoring from the last event and then I have some business with one of your students," the minister commented.

Dumbledore nodded, not giving away if he was bothered by the news or not.

"It is not common to wait so long for the scores, but things were understandably frantic the day of the second task and this is the first time we can get everyone together. Now, you all did admirable in the last task, but it seemed some of you took the clue a little too literally," Bagman said, his eyes going to Harry.

"They said they were going to kill her," Harry said, trying to keep his anger out of his voice.

"Yes, thank you for coming. Now, as I was not at the last event, I have talk with my assistant and the other judges. Head Bagman will read out the scores, and aggregate scores. These sheets have comments about the scoring," Head Albright said. She sounded kinder than Crouch, but still seemed like a hard taskmaster.

Percy had a blank expression on his face, but Harry had the feeling he was not pleased by his body language. He seemed to have a lot of autonomy under Crouch, but maybe not that much now. The redhead went around the room handing out a printing sheet to everyone.

Harry took his and looked at it quickly. He snorted to see his score.

"Now, Mr. Krum of Durmstrang is the in the top spot. He scored a thrity-eight in the first round, and a forty-six in the second round for returning his hostage within the time limit with no injuries and the intentional partial transmogrification into a shark. Mr. Krum will enter the last task with a total of eighty-four," Bagman said, clapping as he finished. There was a smattering of applause and the flash of the camera.

"In second is Ms. Delacour of Beauxbatons," Bagman said with a smile.

"NON!," Fleur cried out. "I can not be second!"

"The scores do not lie, Ms. Delacour," Bagman said, looking a little taken back. "You scored a thirty-nine in the first task and a thirty-two in the second task."

"But Monsiuer Potter and Diggory both scores a forty-three int he first task. You are telling me they both got less than a twenty-eight in the second task?" she asked the judges.

Bagman looked a little uncomfortable. "Wait until I get to that."

"I protest if Monsieur Potter has less than a perfect score for saving my sister and I," Fleur said with some heat.

"It's fine," Harry told her, holding up the sheet, which she apparently had not looked at.

She picked up and stamped her foot. "A twenty-one! You are telling me that two judges gave him a zero! I protest and demand a zero for that task," Fleur demanded quite angrily.

"I am sure out readers will be very interested to find out why Harry Potter received such poor marks when everyone seems to know he sacrificed his own chances to save not only his hostage, but a girl he didn't even now. Headmaster Dumbledore, what is your opinion on this?" Rita Skeeter asked, like she was smelling the blood in the water.

"I don't think we are taking any questions at this time," Head Albright said.

"I would like to know as well. Can I see that paper?" Minister Fudge asked.

"The scores are done. They can not be changed," Karkaroff said, looking challengingly at the woman that dared to question him.

Harry was smiling to see the expressions passing around the room.

"I think we should finish this off, then we wanted to give the champions their next clue," Dumbledore said, as though he was trying to take the attention away from the scores.

"He received a zero for not finishing the task under his own power?" Minister Fudge asked, looking up towards the Durmstrang Headmaster.

"He did not complete the task," Karkaroff stated.

"And you disqaulified him in that task for breaking a contract with the merfolk," Fudge said, his eyes narrowing towards the new Head of Magical Cooperation.

"He did and has started a major breach between the Ministry and the merfolk," the woman stated.

Harry snorted in mirth. It wasn't funny, but he had not seen so may adults acting so childishly.

"You find this amusing, Mr. Potter? Care to tell our reader why?" Rita Skeeter asked.

"We can have a press conference after this," Dumbledore had to raised his voice over the others. This seemed to catch everyone's attention and Harry just smiled.

Harry turned to look at the woman. She reminded him of a salivating bulldog waiting for a steak. "Maybe if we had been told there was a contract for the task and the organizers had bothers to realize sending someone of veela blood into the merfolk was like waiving a red flag before a bull. They were threatening to kill Gabrielle Delacour. I just took her away."

"You are confirming that there is a war between the veela and merfolk?" she asked quickly.

"I don't think that is important to this conversation," Head Albright shouted out.

"I think it very important," Mr. Delacour said.

Rita turned to him. "Rita Skeeter. May I ask your name?"

"I think we are getting away from the importance points of this meeting," Dumbledore interjected.

"I think this am important point. Representative Alain Delacour, an Assemblee member of French Minister, and Underdirector of the Département de l'application de la loi magique," Mr. Delacour said.

"Alain, can this wait until we are done?" Dumbledore said.

"This should be handled now. If there is protest to the score shouldn't this be heard," Minister Fudge asked.

"The protest was to be made within twenty-four hours of the scores being given," Bagman said.

"Are you saying that the scores were not given today," Fleur questioned.

"Last Friday, actually," Bagman said, not seeming to realize he was making the situation worse. "We met right after Head Albright was appointed as interim Head. You would have had to given a protest by Saturday."

"You are saying that you made this decision and did not notify the champions? Is this agianst the rules," Mr. Delacour demanded.

Harry snorted again. "Figures," Harry said.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Karkaroff asked, glaring at him.

"I've already been screwed over by being in this tournament and now I am screwed over by the judges. Do you have the next clue? This is a waste of my time when I could be preparing," Harry said to the room.

Karkaroff looked very upset. Dumbledore's eyes felt like they were trying to bore into him while he wore his 'I'm not disturbed' face. "I don't think that is the intention, Mr. Potter."

"Whatever. It's just like every other year here. Can we have the clue? I would like to maybe survive this year." He knew he was bitter and it was coming out.

"Heir Potter, I would like to talk to you after this meeting, maybe talk about your protest to this and why you would say something like that," the Minister said.

"I would be very interested in that too. Why would the Boy-Who-Lived seem so obviously upset with his time at Hogwarts," Skeeter said.

"Cornelius, I don't think that is necessary," Dumbledore stated.

"I will be in any meeting with Mr. Potter. His gaurdian has given me rights to represent him," Mr. Delacour spoke up.

Dumbledore frowned.

Bagman stepped forward, looking nervous. "Right, back to the scores. Ms. Delacour has a total of seventy-one. In third place is Mr. Potter, who received a forty-three in the first task and a twenty-one in the second task. He took a hostage that was not his, broke an agreement with the merfolk for the task, and failed to complete the task."

Fleur huffed and folder her arms under her chest. Madam Maxime finally spoke up. "I would like it recognized that I gave Mr. Potter a nine. For his bravery, his cool under duress and his moral fiber to save two of my students. I protested the scores at the time."

"Yes, you did. I gave him a six," Bagman said, as though trying to save face. Harry wasn't sure that they knew each individual judges score was on the sheet. Dumbledore gave him a six as well.

"Yes, can we get to the last score and the clue," Harry said impatiently.

"I think that enough, Mr. Potter," Dumbledore admonished.

"Yes," Bagman said a little flustered. "Mr. Diggory. You scored an impressive forty-three in the first task, but the judges have decided to give you a sixteen for the second task. The fact you did not complete the task scored you low with all the judges, but you got points for being the first to your hostage and being able to keep you both alive for twenty-four hours under the lake."

Mr. Diggory pat his son on the back. Cedric just nodded his acceptance. He had looked rather down the last week.

Bagman waited to see if anyone would say anything else before going on. "For the last task, we will give you three clues spread out over the next two months. Your first clue will be today, the next on March twenty-fourth and the last April twenty-eight. The last task will be moved up to May twenty-seventh, that way you will have a few weeks to study for those taking NEWTS this year. I believe the Headmasters of Beauxbatons and Durmstang will be heading back to their schools the weekend after now."

"Oui," Madam Maxime agreed.

Karkaroff nodded.

"Your first clue for the final task: Be prepared for any beast from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scarmander," Bagman told them with a huge smile.

Harry felt his mouth dry some. There were dozens of beasts in that book, many of them dangerous, or downright deadly.

"Merde," he heard Fleur utter.

Krum didn't look phased.

"That concludes this meeting for today," Head Albright said.

"Mr. Potter!" He was assaulted by a fast moving Minister and the hawk-like Skeeter.

"Mr. Potter is not meeting with anyone without me," Mr. Delacour just about shouted over the others.

-oOo-

Headmaster's Office...

Harry really didn't feel like sitting, but he found himself between the Headmaster and Mr. Delacour at a round table. The Minister, the woman in pink and the other woman with greying red hair sat across from him.

"It is a pleasure to see you again, Heir Potter," the Minister said.

"Yeah, a pleasure," Harry replied, totally unsure what was going on here.

The woman in pink made a dissatisfied noise but did nothing else when the Minister gave her a look.

"Cornelius, I am unsure if Mr. Potter knows your companions today," Dumbledore stated.

"Of course. Let me introduce my Undersecretary, Dolores Umbridge, and the Head of the Department for Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones," the Minister said in a jovial way.

Harry looked at them, then to Mr. Delacour. At one time he would have turned to Dumbledore without question, but this man had been nice to him the few times he had met him now, and he really liked Gabrielle, that said her papa was a good man. "Am I in trouble?" Harry asked him.

"No, it's nothing like that, Hier Potter, or would you like to be called Harry," the minister said.

He still looked at Mr. Delacour. The man gave a small nod, but didn't say anything yet. Harry found that interesting.

"To my knowledge, you are not," Dumbledore said besides him. "I do admit to be very curious about this meeting."

"Can I call you Harry," the minister asked again, and Harry turned to the man. He gave a nod. "Excellent! Harry, we are here to talk about your godfather today. I'm sure you have heard the stories about Sirius Black and what he was accused of?"

"Ah, I have a godfather?" Harry asked.

This seemed to catch most in the room by surprise. "You do not know about Sirius Black?" Head Bones enquired.

"Should I?"

"Harry, hasn't anyone ever told you about your father's best friends and your godfather," Dumbledore asked.

"I knew he had friends. Hagrid got be some pictures, but he only every told me about... oh, that Sirius? The one everyone always says they can't believe what happened? I don't think I ever heard a last name," Harry replied.

"Are you saying this boy knows nothing about his family?" Mr. Delacour put to Dumbledore.

"Not really," Harry admitted.

"Well, this might be easier then," Head Bones stated.

"How does Harry Potter not know about his family?" the minister said.

"I had assumed you had been told about some of your history from Hagrid and Professor McGonagall. They were both close to your family," Dumbledore said. "Your aunt never talked about your mother?"

Harry let out a huff. "Only that she was whore and drunk," Harry said bitterly.

"Hem, hem." The woman said. Harry had the image of a toad croaking, except it was girlish in tone. The dislike he had for her grew. "Am I to understand that a boy, who is an heir to an old house and wizengamot seat, knows nothing of his heritage?"

Harry's eyes grew. Out of all the other things to hit him this year, this was the weirdest conversaton so far. "I what?"

Dumbledore sighed. "I was going to give Harry training in his responsibilities and heritage in the Wizengamot his seventh-year."

"Wait a bloody moment! What do you mean I have a seat on the Wizengamot? What does that mean?" He looked to Dumbledore and then the other side of the table. "Why didn't I know about this? This sounds important."

Mr. Delacour answered before anyone else could speak. "From my understanding, and I am not an expert on the British peerage, but I do believe there are certain houses that have a 'erditary seat on your law making and court council? Is it not tradition to train such important members of your society on that responsibility from a young age?"

"It most certaintly is. Is this one of your ways to undermine our government and traditions to favor muggles and upstarts," Umbridge accused towards Dumbledore.

"Dolores, that is enough," Fudge admonished. "Dumbledore, why doesn't this boy know about this? You have been representing the Potter seat for over a decade."

"I see we have another point to talk about," Mr. Delacour said across him to Dumbledore.

Harry just looked around the table. "Bloody hell! What else don't I know?" he glared at Dumbledore.

"Please, understand, you should enjoy your childhood and I do have plans to train you," Dumbledore said to Harry.

Harry was about to say something really snarky when Mr. Delacour put a hand on his arm. "Mr. Potter, can you wait to talk in a short bit? I will explain what I know."

Harry turned an angry face to the man. Mr. Delacour wasn't who he was angry with, but he was already riled from earlier. "Fine."

The man didn't look impressed with his reaction, but nodded. "Minister Fudge, would you please explain we we are here."

"Yes, well," the man said, looking a little flustered. How the hell was a politician so out of sorts after such a short exchange. "As I was trying to say, your godfather, Sirius Black, has been in Azkaban for the last thirteen and a half-years. Do to some new evidence, he had recently been brought back to London and was going to get a hearing on Friday."

Harry blinked at the man. Of course the man that was his godfather is a criminal. Harry didn't say anything as the man started to spin a green bowler hat in his hands.

When the silence went for just a few seconds, the minister started to talk again. "It appears that you did not know that he was arrested, been accused of killing Peter Pettigrew, thirteen muggles and accessory to murder of your parents."

Harry's eyes went wide. "He did what?"

"He was not accused, Minister," Head Bones corrected. "He was suspected of those things, but he was never accused or charged." The look she was giving the Minister had Harry on edge. "Mr. Potter, recent evidence has appears to show that Regent Black did none of those things. The DMLE is very confident the man has been illegally held for more than thirteen years now."

Harry shook his head. "Why are you telling me all this?"

"Regent Black is your official gaurdian, Harry. He took the godfather oath, meaning he would have died if he had consciously betrayed you," Dumbledore explained. "Since he is obviously alive, he did nothing of the sort."

"You mean some murder is my guardian?" He trying to figure out what all this meant. Did this mean he didn't need to grow up with his relatives?

"He never murdered anyone," Mr. Delacour said. "Minister and Head Bones, I get that you are going to hold a hearing this Friday, but I would understand what you mean by this. Regent Black has agreed that I can represent Mr. Potter and would know what you want."

"Ah, yes, its not exactly what we want," Fudge said. "You see, well, this whole mess brings up some legal issues that should be agreed upon. You know, to make things right."

"Like what?" Mr. Delacour asked.

"What do you mean you are me representative," Harry asked, afraid he was going to taken advantage of.

"It means I will represent your best interests. I shall listen to what you want before I do so, if you want," the man offered.

Harry blinked. "Alright." He must really like Gabrielle to trust this man so quickly.

"Now, what are you trying to get at?" Mr. Delacour said across the table.

"The Ministry of Magic is offering the House of Potter and the House of Black an apology and wish to make amends," Head Bones replied. The pink woman... what she a toad?... took an envelope out of a satchel and put it on the table.

Dumbledore went to take it, but Mr. Delacour was quicker. Harry looked at the man, hoping for an explanation. He took the folder and opened it.

"This seems rather generous," Dumbledore said without knowing what was in the folder.

"The Ministry can recognize when it is wrong," Fudge said.

Mr. Delacour made a funny sound. "Wrong? This reads like you are guilty and trying to prove you are not." He closed the folder and handed it to Harry. Harry opened it as the others talked. The top page was a very official looking letter. Harry scanned it quickly. It was an apology and pardon for any misdeeds Sirius Black might have done. Harry leafed through the others. The second page was a release letter from Azkaban. The third was a letter from the DMLE and Wizengamot accounting office that said Sirius Black would receive backpay for the last thirteen years and then receive a pension for being an Auror, Senior Class, retired. The back pay was more than two-hundred-and-ten-thousand galleons. The next page was one that affirmed Sirius Black was his guardian. The last was a letter confirming he was back in control of his families seat on the Wizengamot and Sirius Black would be his regent.

When he looked back up, Mr. Delacour was glaring at Minister Fudge. "Yes, well, I assume all this is in order?" Fudge tried to confirm, looking at Harry.

"Non, I would not say everything is in order. Not until Regent Black says it is satisfactory and the British Ministry can tell me how such an injustice has been carried out for so many years," Mr. Delacour said with some heat.

"A foreign wizard can not tell us what to do," the pink, squat woman snapped.

Mr. Delacour's eyes narrowed at her. Before he could say anything, Fudge cast his own angry eyes on the woman. "Dolores, go wait outside for us."

The pink toad looked shocked. "Cornelius..."

"Now, Dolores," Fudge demanded.

She stared back a challenge for a moment before getting up with a huff. She cast a scathing look towards Mr. Delacour before marching out of the office.

"Harry, would you mind?" Dumbledore requested, holding out his hand.

"I think those papers are for Heir Potter and Regent Black," Mr. Delacour said, taking the envelope out of Harry's hands. "I shall go over these with Harry and then Regent Black."

Fudge nodded. "Either way, those documents are legal as of today. The hearing next week will just be an evidentiary hearing to determine what went wrong. The Daily Prophet will be publishing a story about this tomorrow," Fudge informed them.

"I look forward to reading all the interesting details," Dumbledore said. "I would like to review what is being offered to Regent Black. The Wizengamot should ratify any offers."

"I'm sorry, Albus, but this is already done and much of it is private, since Regent Black is a private citizen," Fudge said.

"I have signed off on his retirement from the Auror corp. That does not require any review from the Chief Warlock," Head Bones said, almost looking smug that she got one over Dumbledore. Perhaps the man was as liked as Harry thought. He had his own issues with the man because of this year and was happy to see others were not enamoured with him either.

"I would still think the Wizengamot should have a briefing on all this. It is our job to ensure all laws are upheld and enforced," Dumbledore argued back.

"Then why didn't you do your job?" Head Bones accused.

"If you remember, Amelia, I was not appointed Chief Warlock until the summer soltice of nineteen-eighty-three, and before you became head three yeas ago, I did bring this up a few times. The Minister and others would not listen to my concerns," Dumbledore said, his eyes boring into the Minister.

"Well, yes, you never presented evidence, you know," Fudge blustered.

"I would have thought the lack thereof and the fact he was not tried would have been enough," Dumbledore pressed.

Fudge clapped his hands and moved to get up. "Yes, well. I think we have done what was required. Amelia, I think we should go. I do have an appointment with Regent Black," the man looked at his watch, "in about an hour."

Head Bones didn't look pleased. She was staring at Dumbledore. "How did you present your concerns, Cheif Warlock?"

"I think you will find records that I petitioned Head Russel, your predecessor, and brought it up once in nineteen-eigty-three and nineteen-eighty-seven before the Wizengamot. Each time it was rebuffed to reopen the investigation," Dumblefore told her.

Fudge was already moving towards the door. "Come, Amelia. What is in the past, is in the past."

Head Bones continued to look at Dumbledore for a moment. "I shall search the records. I do hope the DMLE does not find signs of blockage into the investigation."

Harry turned to look at the Minister, who Head Bones was glaring at. The man was twirling his lime-green bowler in hie hands. "I think all this unpleasantness with Regent Black has been handled. The hearing on Friday should be able to investigate and determine what happened in November ninetee-eighty-one. I was just an Obliviator at the time."

Head Bones turned to Harry after a moment. "Hier Potter, I do hope you accept my sincere apologies about all this. From what I understand, Regent Black was a good man that was your parents best friend. That was why it hit so many so hard when it was thought he had betrayed you and your parents. I assure you that we will determine why this was allowed to go on for so long and punish those that are responsible. This should not happen to any witch or wizard."

"Uh, thank you," Harry said, his head reeling from everything he had just learned.

She got up and followed the Minister out of the office.

Harry sat there for a moment, both men looking at him. When Dumbledore spoke, Harry gave him a sharp look. "Harry, I am sure you have questions from this."

"Bloody hell! I have questions! First off, who the bloody hell is Sirius Black!" Harry yelled at the man. Perhaps the stress of the year really was getting to him. "Secondly, what the fuck is all this?" Harry indicated the folder that was now before Mr. Delacour.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, his right hand going to rest on the handle of the now cold tea before him. "Let me explain about Sirius Black, and then I think Representative Delacour can explain what that folder is."

"You bloody well better explain," Harry snapped.

"Harry, I don't thin you need to be so explecit at the moment." Harry glared at him and Dumbledore went on. "Sirius Black is your godfather. He took certain oaths to protect and raise you that are magically binding. He could not consiously cause you harm, meaning he could not have betrayed you and your parents. There are ways to get around that oath, like legilimency, but it would have to be forcibly taken. Such methods would have left the man mentally incapable. His oaths would have killed him if he conscious betrayed you and caused your death. They are oaths that are not often taken, becuase of the consequences."

Mr. Delacour spoke next. "I met with Regent Black yesterday. The man is not stable, but he is not a raving lunatic like I have seen people that have long term exposure to dementors. He will be in St. Mungo's Hospital for a few months to recover."

"Ah, I was not aware he had been removed from Azkaban yet," Dumbledore stated, a small frown on his face. "I assume that is how you were able to get temporary guardianship over Harry?"

"Representation," Mr. Delacour said.

Harry made an agravatted sound. "What does that mean? Hermione and I couldn't find anything in the Hogwarts' library about magical guardians or what ever you are talking about."

"And I am afraid you will not," Dumbledore stated. "The Governors required all that information removed a few decades ago, before I became Headmaster."

"Why?" was all Harry could ask.

"There were a few incidents when Muggleborns tried to remedy their guardianship that upset some in the Wizengamot," Dumbledore told him.

"You mean Blood Purists and Death Eaters," Harry stated.

"This was before the Death Eaters were known. I have spent much of my life trying to counter those sentiments and add more protections for Muggleborn and raised. I don't think that is the issue right now, though. To answer you, there is a seperation between the Muggle and Magical worlds. We have seperate laws, traditions and customs. It is required for all underage wizards to have a magical guardian, or representative, to make magically binding decisions. For those that attend Hogwarts, myself, or your Head of House, would take over that responsibility as soon as your name shows in our magical children book," Dumbledore explained.

"Okay, I get that," Harry said a little slowly, his temper waning a bit. "Why aren't we told about this?"

"Because most muggle parents are not willing to accept this. Magical Guardians have full control of their charges before magic and the laws of our lands. Once you recognized, technically you are a ward of the state. We, the proffessors and myself, respect the decisions of the students parents, and will strive to carry out their wishes, but there are times that muggle parents cannot have a say," Dumbledore told him.

Harry frowned. "And you have been my guardian?"

"No. Sirius Black has, but I was given representative rights, like Representative Delacour has right now. That means we can make decisions in lieu of your guardian in certain matters," Dumbledore answered.

"Like sending me to my relatives?" The anger was starting to come up again.

"Like sending you to your relatives. It was the safest place I could find at the time," Dumbledore told him.

Harry's face contorted in his anger. After a moment he let out a deep breath. He opened his mouth, then shut it. He didn't know what to say. In his inability to say anything, he felt his magic bubbling up to the surface of his skin. He tried to say something again, but couldn't.

Dumbledore's brow furrowed. "Harry, are you alright?"

"Peachy," he said in a dangerously low voice.

"Heir Potter, you made a comment earlier that your aunt and uncle said some things about your mother?" Mr. Delacour asked in a ind voice.

The thought of his relatives telling him that his parents were drunks, his mother a whore and his father a no good lay-about was enough to push him over the edge. The cup of tea exploded in Dumbledore's hand, as did all the other ones around the table.

The sudden release of his usual control spooked him some. The last time he had done that last year he had almost blasted Hermione off a cliff by the Black Lake.

He shot out of his chair and rushed out of the office.

-oOo-

Alain was shocked at the burst of magic that destroyed every piece of china around the table. Hot water, tea, sugar and confectionaries made a mess of the room and their clothes. Before he could say or do anything, Harry was already out the door and the two men were left looking at each other.

It was not common for someone of Harry's age to suffer unexpected bouts of magic like that. By now, he should have control over himself. Looking to Dumbledore, the elderly man had a concerned look on his face.

There were many alarm bells that Harry Potter was ringing. "In the last week I have been very busy dealing with what you and the judges have done to my daughter, trying to get Heir Potter's gaurdian freed and an issue in my own government. In that time, Gabrielle has told me a few things that do not sound right for someone only fourteen to have accomplished. Is it true that boy has fought a werewolf?"

Dumbledore sighed. "Last year I hired an old student and friend of Harry's parents. Remus Lupin is a werewolf that was taking the wolfesbane potion and was not supposed to be a danger. Rumors of a werewolf running the grounds had the Minister placing Dementors around the borders to keep the school safe. Towards the end of the year, Harry and his friend, Hermione Granger, took it upon themselves to save a hippogryph that was to be executed. Remus saw them on the grounds and went to help them. Unfortunetaly, he forgot to take the potion and it was a night of the full moon."

Alain rose an eyebrow.

"They were caught outside when the moon rose and had to run from Remus. Unfortunately, they ran into the forbidden forest, where the dementors were patrolling. Ms. Granger was able to use a time turner she had for classes. By doing so, Harry was able to fend off the dementors before him and Ms. Granger were kissed. Unfortunetaly, Remus Lupin was not as lucky," Dumbledore told him. The older man took off his glasses and cleaned the spots of tea off them.

"I... Merde! I did not believe it. Most boys would make up such fantastical stories, especially around my daughters," Alain said, rather surprised.

Dumbledore sighed. "I wish that was the only such adventure he and his friends have shared."

"Like a basilisk?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Like a basilisk. Something had been attacking students for months, petrifing them. I had thought it was something more harmless like a student that maybe had medusa blood in them, or a catagorata, from India. It wouldn't be the first time strange creatures were in the school. Both are known to cause petrification and the professors and I were trying to trap them. I would have never suspected a sixty-eight foot long basilisk. Harry was brave enough to go looking for the creature to save another student and wound up slaying it."

Alain's eyebrows raced towards his receeding hair line. "How could a boy survive that?"

Dumbledore motioned to the sleeping phoenix. "My familiar has taken quite a liking to Harry and came to his aid. If not for Fawkes, I am afraid Harry and the student he went to save probably would not have survived."

"Merde! And you never notified your DMLE?"

"I notified the Governors and the Minister, as required by our bylaws. They are the only ones allowed to notify the DMLE unless there is a known duel, death, or a few other situations where a student is seriously hurt. Petrification, because it is reversible, tied my hands," Dumbledore explained. "We also thought the situation could be controlled."

"Merde! You are all fools," Alain stated.

Dumbledore gave a dark chuckled. "I am coming to believe that. Our society is mired in tradition and I find myself caught in those trappings at times. If there was not things I needed to accomplish, I would consider retirement."

"I think you should consider it anyways. Do you know why Heir Potter reacted to violently to mention of his aunt and uncle?" he asked Dumbledore.

The man sighed. "I am not. He can be a quite and reserved boy, but he always seems to be popular and no one can say he is not brave or protective of those he considers his friends."

Alain frowned. This didn't seem to match what Gabrielle had told him Sunday. Admittedly, she was smitten with him, and proably more, but she had also mentioned how he never answered any of her questions about his home and some of the stories had seemed so fanciful, he had just assumed the boy had been taken in by his daughter's allure. He was starting to believe his daughter that the boy was not.

Alain looked at the mess on him and took out his wand. After ensuring he was clean, he looked back at Dumbledore. "You will excuse me. I should go find Heir Potter. I do have business with him today."

"I do not think he has left the castle. I have not felt any student go onto the grounds in the last ten minutes. He has a training room on the fifth floor of the East building that we have given him for the tournament," Dumbledore offered. "I can have a house elf or student show you where?"

Alain shook his head. "I will find my own way."

"As you wish," Dumbledore said, nodding his head before taking out his own wand. Alain found it interesting that the extra long wand had so many knots in it and the wood looked so weather worn.

Alain nodded his head and then left the man in his office.

-oOo-

-oOo-

A/N: OK, I rarely do a single day in a chapter or two, but I guess my muse thought this one day was very important... thus it is continued from Chapter 5.

Chapter 6

March 7, 1995

Fifth-floor abandoned classroom...

From outside the room, it was apparent that something catastrophic was happening. The floor shook sporatically, and the silencing wards that Professor Flitwick seemed to be failing as Hermione heard the sounds of explosions.

She looked at the door with a furrowed brow. Gabrielle didn't hesitate. She was already charging past her towards the door. "Gabrielle, wait!" Hermione called out, grabbing the blonde girls arm.

Gabrielle turned to her, her eyes were a dark purple. "Laisse-moi partir!"

"Wait. You'll get hurt if you go in there," Hermione told her. She had seen Harry this upset only once before, and that was shortly after the dragon when Ron suddenly expected to be best friends again. Though, this time sounded worse.

"Harry est attaqué. Laissez-moi partir," Gabrielle said. Hermione screamed and let her go when barely visible purple flames sprung up around Gabrielle's hands.

Hermione's eyes tears up and she looked down to see second degree burns on her hands, the skin already bubbling. Gabrielle turned, not noticing Hermione's pain and confusion. Hermione squeezed her eyes for a second. "Gabrielle! Wait! Harry isn't under attack."

Gabrielle didn't listen. She reached the door, and when it didn't open, Hermione saw the flames around the girls hands form into small balls of fire. Gabrielle's sleeves were starting to smoke as she pressed the balls into the door. The wards on the door fought the magic for a moment, starting to glow a bright white, before a suddenly explosion rocked the hallway. Hermione stumbled to keep her feet.

Gabrielle was flung backwards, landing heavily on her back.

There was one last explosion in the room and then it was silent inside.

Gabrielle rolled over, as though gasping for air. Hermione rushed to her side, but found she couldn't do much with how bad her palms were burned. Tears streaked her cheeks as tried to control the pain. "Gabrielle? Can you breathe?"

"What was that!" Harry rushed to the door.

"Gabrielle tried to get in, thinking you were being attack," Hermione yelled at him. Harry had a gash on his forehead and looked soaked in sweat.

Gabrielle suddenly took in a greedy breath as Harry rushed to their side. "Merlin. What did she do?"

"There was purple fire," Hermione told him.

"It... was... my veela," Gabrielle said as she clutched her chest.

"Are you alright," Harry asked, putting a hand on Gabrielle's arm.

After a few more breaths, Gabrielle nodded her head. "I landed... could not breathe."

Knowing that they were all alright, Hermione let out a whimper as she tried to close her hands. Harry whipped his head up to her. "Are you hurt?"

Hermione turned her hands up, looking at the palms, and realized some of the skin was actually black and cracking. They didn't have time to really react as there was the sound of running feet. She turned to see what was going on. Harry grabbed her wrists. "We need to get you to Madam Pomfrey," he told her.

Hermoine took int he sight of Mr. Delacour and Professor McGonagall before she cried out in pain at Harry's unintentional touch. Hermione hadn't realized she was burned over her wrists as well. The pain was intense and she found herself swooning.

-oOo-

Hospital wing...

Gabrielle sat staring at her hands. They were shaking. She had only used the fire of her ancestry for the first time a year-and-a-half ago, shortly after her first bleeding.

Maman had told her how important it was for her keep her anger or fear under control, especially in stressful situation. Veela were creatures of emotion. They were ruled by it. Their fire was that of destruction. Their control of it that of desire, passion and love. It was part of how the great fire was split between the five creatures born of fire when magic was young.

There were the phoenix. Creatures of light. Their fire the eternal circle of life and death. There ability to give life to those that deserve it and to use the eternal fire plains to move about. Opposite them are the roc. Fire birds of death and destruction. They were born to serve those of darkness. It was not the same destruction of the veela. Non. The roc were death and destruction for the sake of death and destruction.

The veela were the third to be born of the eternal flames. There destruction were born of the desire they espoused in their human forms. It was vengeful, but there was the possibility of life after their fire. Like a forest fire. Nothing lived after a roc spread it fire.

Opposite them were the dwarves. They mined the earth, like the infernal goblins, looking for the materials to to turn thier control of fire to making. At one time, the dwarves were the best craftsmen and architects. Goblins claim that now, but are cheap seconds to what the dwarves of old could do. The issue was, dwarves were not warriors. Their passion lies in the making.

The last was even a myth to those born of the fire. Maman had said it was rumored that a great snake was born. It swallowed the sky and became the sun. Of all five of them, the sun snake was the greatest. It holds both life and death in its coils in a way none of the other races could.

At the moment, Gabrielle didn't really care that she had the blood of one of the elder races in her. Today, she had seen the way her fire could destroy. Across from her Harry sat with a sleeping Hermione as the Healer wrapped bandages around her hands.

"Just hold it like that. I can't heal the scaring and some of the deeper tissue damage until the salve takes out the rest of the magical damage. The least we disturb her skin the easier it will be to heal later," Madam Pomfrey was instructing Harry.

He had lifted Hermione and ran her to the hospital once he knew she was alright.

As much pain Hermione was in, Gabrielle was chastizing herself for loosing control so easily.

Papa reached his hand out to take hers and she pulled them away. "Do not let me touch you," she told him, terrified she was going to hurt someone else.

Her papa reached for her hands anyways. "Gabrielle, you will not hurt me. You are not using your fire."

She felt the tears were welling in her eyes. "I hurt her. Papa, I burnt Hermione. She will never want to come near me again. I burnt her."

"It will be alright, my little golden bird," her papa soothed.

Gabrielle shook her head. When her papa's hand took hers, she wrapped them both around it and couldn't hold back the tears anymore.

"Gabrielle?" a voice came to her. She looked up to see the watery outline of a boy she wanted to recoil from, but felt the pull.

"'Ou s'ould stay away," she sputtered in broken English with how upset she was.

"Are you alright? Did you just knock the wind out of yourself or did you hurt yourself? If you hurt yourself, you should have Madam Pomfrey look at you," he said, his concern for her apparent in her voice.

She shook her head, not really able to say anything.

"Gabrielle, I don't think he is upset with you," her papa pointed out.

"'ee s'ould 'ate moi," she replied, casting her eyes down.

There was a silence for a moment. "I don't understand," Harry asked after a moment.

"She is blaming herself for hurting Hermione and you." Her papa gave a deep sigh. "Gabrielle is part veela."

"Yeah, I already knew that," Harry replied after a moment.

"When she heard her new friend being attacked, she reacted. Your exercizing could be heard three floors down," her papa explained.

"Oh. Bloody hell," Harry said. "I didn't mean... Gabrielle, I am fine. Are you alright?"

She looked up again, tears going down her cheeks. "Why would you care? I hurt someone you care about."

Her vision was still blurry, but she was starting to get control of her emotions again. As she did, her English got better. She saw him rub the back of his neck.

"Did you do it on purpose?" Harry enquired.

"Non. Hermione grabbed me when I was holding my fire in my hands," she told him. Her sleeves were burned up to her elbow, probably meaning her fire had crept up her arms.

"You only meant to help and you didn't burn Hermione on purpose. Why would I hate you then? Madam Pomfrey says she will be able to heal most of the burn by tomorrow and then she will have to use a scar cream for a week or two," he told her, as though Gabrielle hadn't just done the worst thing possible.

She had blink numerous times before her eyes were clear enough to see his green eyes. They really looked concerned. Gabrielle was having a hard time understanding. Only her family had ever looked at her that way. The first time she had lost control of her fire she had burned up a couch. An annoying upper year had kept trying to ask her out when she was only thirteen. Her allure had only started to really affect people and he would not leave her alone. When he had tried to kiss her and his hand had wandered to areas she had not wanted, her fire had reacted. No one had been hurt, but she had mostly been left alone for a while after that. Fleur had also become much more protective of her for a while.

The sting of loosing almost anyone she called friend after that was still a sting in her heart. The last week or so with Harry and Hermione had shown her she could still have friends outside of her family.

"But I hurt her," Gabrielle repeated.

Harry shrugged. "Hermione will be alright and we have both been hurt worse that this before."

When he came over and sat on the bed, she pulled back from him, as much as the inner demon in her called for her to to go to him. Harry sat very still.

"He is not blaming you, Gabrielle," her papa told her.

"It's really my fault. I shouldn't have been so out of control. If any of the wards had failed, I really would have hurt someone," Harry told her.

She searched his eyes. He really did blame himself. It was that look of self reproach that finally had it sink in that he didn't blame her. She let go of the self-control she had been working to regain. She let go of her papa and scrambled over the bed to Harry. He looked surprised when she threw herself onto him, her arms wrapping around his midsection and she buried her head into his chest.

Wracking sobs overtook her. Harry slowly wrapped his arms around her shoulder as she felt his magic accepting her.

-oOo-

The Hospital Wing, Hogwarts, Scotland

Harry held Gabrielle until she cried herself to sleep.

Her father watched them, making Harry a little uncomfortable. He didn't look upset or angry, or even like he wanted Harry away from his daughter. Instead he held a mostly pensive face.

When Gabrielle seemed to melt into him, Harry was able to look down. Her eyes were closed and she looked to have passed out. Harry looked to Mr. Delacour as to what to do. The man just nodded. "Gabrielle is not a full-veela so it can stretch her magic. She just needs to rest for a bit."

"Ah, should I just hold her?" he asked uneasily.

The man smiled. "I am sure my daughter would enjoy that, but we must have a conversation. I think if you just lay her down, we can ask the Healer for a quiet spot to talk."

"Yes, sir," Harry replied. He lowered her down and Mr. Delacour helped to get her straightened out and put a blanket over her.

"Have you eaten lunch?"

Harry shook his head. Truth be told he didn't even know what time it was. Mr. Delacour looked at his lunch. "It is just past one. I have the authority to escort you away from Hogwarts so that we can find a place to have lunch and talk."

Harry pursed his lips, looking to Gabrielle and then Hermione. "My afternoon classes started already. I really should go to them," Harry told the man. "Hermione wouldn't be happy if I missed them. I already missed Transfiguration and History of Magic with the meetings this morning."

Mr. Delacour stood up. Harry tried not to flinch away when the man clapped his shoulder. As soon as he did, the man took his hand away. "I am not going to hurt you, Harry."

Harry shook it off. "I'm just a little jumpy at times."

Mr. Delacour regarded him for a few before nodding his head. "Let's take a walk. Sometimes life is more important than classes."

Harry gave a wan smile. "Some would disagree." Echoes of Hermione saying, '... or worse, expelled," playing in his head. She had not been anything like that this year, but somethings you just never forget.

"Let them disagree," Mr. Delacour told him.

Harry looked between his best friend and his girlfriend.

"They will still be here when we get back. I doubt Gabrielle will wake before tomorrow and I heard Madam Pomfrey say Hermione would be under sleeping draught for that long as well," the man tried to asuage Harry.

After a moment, he nodded. Mr. Delacour let the matron know he would be escorting Harry and would return in later.

They didn't really say anything until they had passed over the causeway and were heading towards town. "Harry, do you understand what is happening?"

He snorted. "Not really," he confessed.

Mr. Delacour nodded his head and spent most of the walk explaining the differences between his muggle aunt and uncle guardian rights compared to wizarding guardian rights. Essentially, like Dumbledore had said, they really didn't have any rights over him.

"If that is the case, why do I have to live with them? Couldn't Sirius Black just put me somewhere else?" Harry asked.

"If he had not been in Azkaban, yes. Once someone is sent out there, it essentially a bottomless hole that most do not come out of. They are not allowed contact with mainland. They cannot receive or send letters. Only solicitors can go out there, but usually once you are there, that doesn't happen either. You are guilty and nothing will change that. It is an abhorrent practice that France pulled out of in nineteen-seventy-two," Mr. Delacour informed him.

He scrunched his brow. By now, they were entering Hogsmeade. In the middle of the day on a weekday, it was not very busy. A few woman with smaller children were out, looking like they were going to the green grocer and butchery. Two men in red Auror robes walked casually down the middle of the cobble road. Harry took them in, then didn't pay them much attention.

"Dumbledore is my representative?"

"He was. Regent Black agreed to allow me to represent you now, until he is back to full health."

"It was Dumbledore who put me with my relatives?" Harry asked.

"It would appear so," Mr. Delacour said. His tone sounded like he was apprehensive to bring this up. Harry didn't blame him with his outburst earlier.

Harry had a small amount of the anger bubble up, but he tamp it down. He wouldn't go off and act like a child throwing a tantrum again. It had gotten Hermione and Gabrielle hurt.

"You do not like living with your relatives?" Mr. Delacour asked a little cautiously.

"You can say that," Harry replied, not offering any more information.

The man frowned. When they walked past the Three Broomsticks, Harry suddenly felt confused. Mr. Delacour must have picked up on this. "As much as I like a pub, I wanted a little more privacy. I am staying at a bed and breakfast that I am sure will provide us lunch."

Harry nodded. Mr. Delacour took him down a side alley and ended at a relatively large house for the town. The sign at the fence read, 'The Hitched Horse'. Three old hitching posts were along the road. Harry hadn't known Hogsmeade had places like this, but then again he had never really gone many places other than the shops a street over. There wasn't much reason to go to the two back streets unless you were just aimlessly wandering.

Mr. Delacour led him inside where a woman in her middle years came through a door to greet them. "Bonjour, monsieur Delacour. Je ne t'attendais pas depuis un moment. Ce jeune homme va-t-il rester avec vous?"

"Non, nothing like that today, Mrs. Baker. I just find myself and my friend have missed lunch and was wondering if i could use your private dinning room for a while and take whatever you may have to offer," Mr. Delacour answered.

"Of course. I have some onion soup that is ready and fresh bread. I was going to hold that for tonight, but there is more than enough. Maybe some blood sausage with it?" Mrs. Baker offered.

Harry's stomach grumbled at the offer.

Mr. Delacour chuckled. "I think that would be excellent."

"Very good. Just give me a few minutes. You can go in and take off your cloaks," she said, bustling for the kitchen.

Mr. Delacour chuckled again when Harry had a raised eyebrow. "Renee Baker was a classmate of my wife. A very nice woman. If you would, we can go in here."

Harry was led into a small dinning room. The table looked spindly and expensive with six seats. Harry took one across from the man he was with. "What do you want to talk to me about?" Harry asked.

"After lunch. I am rather hungry and it sounds like you are as well," Mr. Delacour said. Harry was starving, but he was used to that. Even so, it was very rare for him to miss a meal at Hogwarts.

They ate in silence when Mrs. Baker took them their lunch. Harry took the time to process everything that happened this morning. By the time Mr. Delacour sat back and looked at Harry, his head was full of questions.

"My wife says it is better to get out what is bothering you than bottling it up," Mr. Delacour told him.

Harry had a hard time deciding where to start. He opened his mouth for a second before asking, "Who is Sirius Black?"

"That is a question I do not have many answers for yet. I can tell you I knew his grandfather. My papa and Arcturus Black fought together in the Grindelwald wars. I am told your grandfather did as well, but I never met Seigneur Potter. I do know that Charlus Potter married Arcturus' sister, Dorea. Sirius is your first cousin-once-removed, I am pretty sure that is how it goes," Mr. Delacour told him.

Harry blinked. "I have family?"

Mr. Delacour gave him a kind look. "You have never been told about your family, have you?"

"Some," Harry replied a little cryptically.

The man nodded. "I will respect your secrets, but I do hope someday you may come to trust me more. Non?"

Harry shrugged. "What else do you know about Sirius or my family?"

"About the Potters, not much. Papa said your family was rather reclusive and secretive, but your grandfather was a demon on the battlefield. Charlus Potter also saved the lives of both my grandfather and your great-uncle. I wish I could tell you more, but I only really know what the papers and others have said. I can tell you that Seigneur Black was a man of honour and always nice to my family. He was also a man haunted by what happened on the battle field and spent more time away from England than he probably should have. Papa thought Seigneur Blacks mind sickness affected his family. In one generation they went from fighting against great evil to following. Not all the Blacks were bad. I hear a few refused to follow Voldemort. Sirius actually fought against his family and the man. Arcturus was very proud of his grandson. His niece Andromeda as well. As for Sirius, he is your godfather. A man willing to take the old oaths is not someone that would do the things that he was accused of." Mr. Delacour said it with such conviction that Harry believed him.

Harry sat for a moment. Apparently his family history was as dark as it was light. "Someone told me that my father was the son of Fleamont and Euphemia Potter."

"Not to my knowledge. I knew Siegnuer Potter had a brother, but I knew very little about him," Mr. Delacour told him. "About the time I was graduating from Beauxbatons and learning how to take up my family responsibilities and working as an adjutant in the Aurors, Seigneur Black stopped visiting and my father lost track of his old war brothers, as he used to call them. That was in the early seventies."

Mr. Delacour waited patiently for Harry to ask his next question. "If Sirius Black didn't kill my parents or whoever else it was, why was he sent to Azkaban?"

"Politics, from what I can find. I only have the few details from the British reports, but when they found him on a street, it was as if a bomb had gone off. There was an almost four meter wide crater, fire was pouring out of it from the broken gas main. It was in the middle of a busy market. Twelve non-magiques were dead. Another died the next day from their injuries. Another fourteen required treatment and the Aurors and Magical Reversal officers reported him kneeling on the ground, his wand apparently falling out of his hand at his side and he kept repeating, 'I killed them. James and Lily. I killed them.'"

Harry looked at the man with an open mouth. After a moment, he put out there, "Why wasn't I told about this? Did he kill them?"

"Non. From what I have been told, there is no evidence of it and other witness reports were suppressed. From what I can find, Sirius Black is innocent."

"Right," Harry replied.

After a long moment of silence, Mr. Delacour gently enquired, "Is there something else I can try to answer?"

Harry let out a long breath. "What does it really mean you are my representative? And what about Dumbledore?"

"Sirius Black has given me the permission to act in your guardian in most matters involving your home and school life. If anything happens that requires someone to come to you, I will be called first. I can sign forms and authorize you to leave. I have no control over your financials, nor do I have the ability to sign you into any magically binding contract," Mr. Delacour told him.

"Did the Headmaster have the same authority?"

"Yes, mostly. He was granted representative rights over you and some of your families powers by the Wizengamot after your parents will was read and Regent Black was unavailable," he was informed.

"So, he was the one to place me at my relatives?" Harry asked, squeezing his hands tight.

"Yes," the man said. "Harry, is there an issue with your relatives?"

Harry kept his mouth shut tight.

"Would you allow me to visit them? Or atleast investigate what it was like for you to live there?"

After a moment, Harry nodded his head. He was happy the man changed the subject after that.

"On a lighter note, my daughter says you are her boyfriend?" Mr. Delacour asked.

Harry kept the man's gaze. "Yes, Mr. Delacour."

"Bonne," he commented. "How much do you know about veela or those with the blood of the veela?"

"Until last summer, I hadn't even heard of them," Harry confessed.

"I am not surprised. They are known in a few areas on the continent, but very rarely found outside their enclaves. It can be dangerous for them and those they come into contact with if you are not aware of them," Mr. Delacour said.

"I haven't done anything to hurt Gabrielle or offend her?" he asked worriedly.

"Non," the man chuckled. "I would say the opposite. Those with veela blood can be rather passionate when close friends, family and boyfriends are involved."

He felt a little guilty. "Is that why she reacted like she did?"

"Yes. Being a quarter veela, Fleur and Gabrielle can pull on some of their heritage. If they have daughters they will most likely be able to as well. Part of that heritage is the fire that defines the veela. Gabrielle thought you were under attack with the commotion you were making in that room. Her veela blood reacted to the magic you were using and the perceived threat," Mr. Delacour told him.

Harry let out a breath. "I never meant to make her think that."

"That I believe. You looked rather upset earlier."

"Yeah," Harry answered.

He looked down at the table, really feeling guilty now. He should not have lost control of himself like that.

"Gabrielle's reaction to your perceived danger also shows another side of my daughters. They are of veela heritage. Part of that heritage is part of why most true veela, and even many with thier heritage, choose to live in enclaves that see little contact with the outside world," Mr. Delacour informed him.

"Why is that?" Harry enquired when the man didn't go on.

"Life debts, Harry. Do you know about them?"

He shook his head.

"Life debts between wizards are not a huge issue. The person that owes one just needs to find a way to satisfy the debt in a way magic agrees. This could be through a great boon, payment to you, oaths of fealty for seven years or more, a friend that becomes like family or a lover... there are many ways. Ways that don't always bind the one that owes you to you permantly. My papa felt like he owed a great debt to your grandfather and sent him a few very rare books from our personal library. As far as I know they were just about priceless. By doing so, he repayed the debt," Mr. Delacour explained. "If you do not repay a life debt, it is not anything life threatening, but magic will let you know. You may have poor luck, or may contract an incurable disease that brings you discomfort, but will not kill you. Some think some minor blood malidictions are born this way, and fade over three generations."

Harry looked up, his brow scrunched. He had a sinking feeling about this, especially with the tone of the man's voice. "Mr. Delacour, how do you get a life debt?"

"There are two ways I know of. The first is that one can claim a life debt when the person's life belongs to you, like saving an enemy that has done you or your family a great wrong. A wrong that is against magic and that you could claim a life for life." Mr. Delacour paused to see if Harry was getting it. He thought he understood, but didn't say a thing. As important as this way was, he had a sinking feeling about what was coming next. Mr. Delacour went on. "The second way is to save someone. It cannot be something simple, like just pulling someone out of the way of a carriage or automobile. It must be in a way that the person is in mortal peril, you put yourself in mortal peril to save them and you expect no reward, it is not your responsibility and you were not involved putting the one you save into that situation."

Harry's mouth felt dry. His thoughts went to Ginny and Hermione, but his gut twisted to think of Gabrielle.

Mr. Delacour seemed to be waiting for him, so Harry eventually asked, "You think Gabrielle, maybe Fleur, owes me a life debt?"

"Non. Not Fleur. She asked for your help. There was an expectation there when you agreed. You fought side by side. Those are not conditions that would make one. If she had been gravely hurt and you saved her, then we might be talking about my eldest, but none of that happened," Mr. Delacour said with conviction.

Harry swallowed. "Gabrielle?"

The man took on a long face. "There is a strong possibility. I would say a very strong possibility with the way Gabrielle has taken to you. As you may have noticed, she had a certain, who do you say, liking for Harry Potter. The Harry Potter of her books."

Harry grimaced. "I noticed a little."

"And you do not like that, non?"

"No," Harry agreed.

Mr. Delacour nodded. "I figured. It is apparent that my daughter has become very enamored with Harry Potter, the Harry Potter that saved her from the merfolk, and if her other accounts are true, is a true hero. A hero that doesn't really see himself as one. She also likes the Harry Potter that does not seem affected by her allure and looks at her like she is a normal girl, not some boys wet dream."

Harry's face felt warm. "I, ah, Mr. Delacour, Gabrielle beautiful, but, I, ah... don't just like her for that."

The man laughed. "I was young once, Harry. I understand my daughters and wife are very beautiful and their magic is designed to attract most people. It is a natural defense so they are not taken advantage of. One of the ways many wizards have taken advantage of them over the years is to try to trap a veela, or those of their blood, into life debt. The veela are creatures of passion. It drives them, and those that fall to thier allure. For a veela that owes a life dent, this means they will be required to satisfy the wizard until the veela either provides a non-full blood veela child, or the wizard dies."

"I would never do that," Harry protested loudly, getting to his feet.

Mr. Delacour rose his hands to calm him down. "I do not believe you would. If you were like that, I have no doubt my daughter would be in your bed already."

Harry's face really was hot now. "I swear I would never do that. Is there another way for Gabrielle to pay me back?"

The man smiled. "Listen before you get more upset. First, we need to prove there is debt before we worry about anything like that."

Harry sat back down. "You think there is though."

"I have strong suspicions with the way you are both acting towards each other. Can you tell me what you would do if Gabrielle was in danger?" Mr. Delacour asked.

"I would be at her side," Harry answered without thinking. "But to be fare, Hermione says I have a saving people thing."

The man regarded him for a moment. "Saving a girl from a troll? Saving another student from a basilisk, dementors or a werewolf? Saving the school from other dangers that you and Ms. Granger have hinted at?"

Harry's face was as warm as it was a moment ago. "What else was I supposed to do?"

The man shook his head. "Harry, veela blood share the magic of their fore-mothers, but it is not the same. To be part human changes the magic, eventually fading. First to go is the ability to change to their more avian form. My wife can not do that, neither can my daughters. Next is the ability to access the fire that has been granted to them. My granddaughters are expected to have some of that, but their children will not. Last is the beauty and the long life of the veela. The long-life is reduced each generation, but probably won't leave my line until my great-granddaughters are born. The beauty can last so long that some may not even realize they are deceded from such a noble race. The change that is important to you and my daughter is how her magic will try to accept her life-debt."

"How is that?" Harry queried.

"Where a pure blooded veela would feel the urge to provide a life for the wizard, those of veela-blood will most likely seek to give you their life. A witch like Gabrielle will feel an urge to give herself to you as your wife or consort. It will be a life-long bond that can be one of the most precious things in the world. Magic and the fire that is in her, it will most likely not accept anything else. I will understand if you wish to seek an alternate payment. I do not seek to influence you in anyway, but when such a debt is formed, it many times forms a bond, a bond that Gabrielle will always feel and may never be able to give herself to someone else. I would ask you to consider what Gabrielle could offer if the life debt is confirmed. Not just for her, but for you. Life with such a passionate person may not always be easy, but I can't think of anything else I would have wanted more than to have married my Apoline and to have my daughters," Mr. Delcaour said. He sounded sincere and like he was almost pleading Harry to not abandon Gabrielle.

As Harry took in what had been said, he blinked a few times. Out of all the things he had ever been through, this one scared and excited him in ways he had never known. It also hit all his buttons. He felt like he needed to protect Gabrielle, which meant he would have to marry her some day. A terrifying prospect at fourteen. Warring with that was the fact that his choice might be taken from him. How often had Harry felt like he had almost no choice or control over his life? Mr. Delacour said he had a choice, but he knew he couldn't condemn someone to a life that was she couldn't give herself to someone else...

"Mr. Delacour, when you say she won't be able to give herself to anyone else, what do you mean?" asked Harry.

The man took in a breath. "Gabrielle would be able to give her body to others. She may even develope a fondness for others, but she would never be able to love someone else. She would never be able to give a child to anyone else if her magic decides to bond with you. I think she is close to that point. I really don't want to make you feel trapped in this. I really think this would be a good long term relationship between you and Gabrielle. Maybe that is just the father in me talking, but from what I have seen and heard about you, I think you are on a path to be a fine man. A man fine enough for our Gabrielle."

Harry let out a long breath. "I don't want to be married yet. Someday, that sounds nice, but I am only fourteen."

"As is Gabrielle for a few more weeks. Apolline and I would never ask for children to marry. As long as you both acknowledge the debt and your intentions to marry at some point, that will be enough to satisfy the debt until you accept her commitment to you for life," Mr. Delacour told him.

The breath that came out of him was more relief. Mr. Delacour chuckled. "Did you really think we would want you to marry at your age?"

"I Had hoped not," Harry admitted.

"Never. Neither of your would be mature enough and I do not want to be grandfather anytime soon. Fleur is just eighteen herself. That is barely an age where you might know who you are," the man said with passion.

Harry smiled. "Thank you."

Mr. Delacour nodded at him.

"So, how do we prove if Gabrielle owes me a life debt or not?" Harry asked. He really liked the few days she had been his girlfriend, and there was an excitement that she would be for years to come, but he would rather be with here because they both wanted to be, not because one them would feel forced to be.

"That is where your godfather comes in. With Regent Black out of Azkaban and you both sharing blood, he can call on your families magic to confirm this. Only family magic, or some blood rites by the goblins, are known to be able to do this, and I would rather not deal with goblins and blood," Mr. Delacour told him.

Harry couldn't agree more. "When can we do this?"

"Your godfather is not in good health from being in Azkaban for so many years. He must recover, and the Healers at St. Mungo's think it will be a few months before he is well enough. I would ask you to keep escorting Gabrielle, most likely through the end of the school year. If we find there is a life debt, we can determine what will happen at that time. I would not recommend you and Gabrielle to be separated for an entire summer if she owes you. I would hope that would not be a burden on you?"

There was a fluttering in his chest. There was a hope he would not have to go back to four privet drive, but there was a fear too. Gabrielle should never go near his relatives. "Do I need to go back to my relatives?" he asked apprehensively.

"Non. Regent Black would like you to live with him. I will also open my house to you at any time. Even if Gabrielle does not owe you, your grandfather was a friend of the family and you have shown you are as well. If ever you need the Delacour's support, all you need is ask," Mr. Delacour told him.

A small smile came over his face as elation passed through his body. He didn't have to go back to the Dursley's. "Bloody brilliant! Can I meet Sirius Black?"

"In a few weeks. He is a forced coma for atleast the week to let the Healers help him. Your Minister will be rather disappointed when he arrived their today," the man said.

"I would like to meet him when I can," Harry iterated.

"As soon as is possible. I give you my word," Mr. Delacour promised.

-oOo-

Laisse-moi partir ! = Let me go!

Bonjour, monsieur Delacour. Je ne t'attendais pas depuis un moment. Ce jeune homme va-t-il rester avec vous ? = Hello, Mr. Delacour. I wasn't expecting you back for a while. Is this young man going to be staying with you?